Anything & Everything About Thailand

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 24 December 2005 :-

Chuwit unveils B100m public park

By Wassayos Ngamkham

Bangkok residents are today going to get another big, but this time pleasant surprise from maverick Chart Thai party MP Chuwit Kamolvisit. The massage parlour tycoon-turned-politician has always had something up his sleeve to woo the masses. This time round, he has forked out 100 million baht from his own pocket to create a public park covering six rai of land on Sukhumvit Road Soi 10. The land was the scene of the gangland-style demolition of the Sukhumvit Square nightstrip on Jan 26, 2003.

The new ``lung'' of the city will be unveiled with an expanse of lush greenery and a blaze of colourful flowers to provide some fresh air for the public.

The design of the park is under the East-meets-West theme inspired by a combination of American and Balinese landscapes. ``I believe when the park comes into being, it will help motivate Bangkokians to be more health-conscious and get into shape. It also proves that we, members of the civic sector, can act on our own initiative without begging for help from the state,'' said the former Bangkok governor candidate.

Mr Chuwit said the idea to build the park was not fantasy. The plan was floated to the public in August 2004 by Mr Chuwit while he was running for Bangkok governor. The tycoon won 300,000 votes in the race before switching his career to national politics.

``The park project is consistent with a promise I have made to the public. To those who criticise me for wanting to score political gain, I dare them to try to emulate me for the sake of public good.

``I have no ulterior motive whatsoever. I just want to show that everybody can do his or her bit to contribute to society.''

He said he designed the layout of the park himself and spent about 100 million baht building it. ``The park has got an American feel to it. Loudspeakers will be installed around the park to play soothing music to visitors,'' added Mr Chuwit, as he exulted over a replica of the Washington Monument built in the park.

He considers the replica a milestone of his personal achievement. He said the stone will be engraved with his autobiography and the story of the park.

A variety of 30 large, mature trees have been planted. Sandstone blocks sculpted into Balinese floral have been placed around the park to add oriental ambience to the otherwise western surroundings.

Running tracks have also been paved in the park for sports lovers.

He said he is devising a series of activities to liven up his park, including an ``expedition trail'' for students and facilities for aerobics and fitness work-outs.

He said his is the second private park in Thai history. The first one dates back to the reign of King Rama V over 100 years ago. Its owner was a nobleman called Phra Sappakarn. It is now the location of Wachira Hospital.

Mr Chuwit said that in his research, he had discovered that Phra Sappakarn had set aside 27 rai of his own land for the construction of the park which was named ``Park Samsen''. Three years later, the land was mortgaged with Siam Commercial Bank. Later, in the reign of King Rama VI, the government of the time bought back the property and built Wachira Hospital on the site. The second phase of construction of the park has already been planned. A public library and possibly a UN environmental office will occupy the land. ``The park will be known by the name of `Chuwit Park','' he said.

Even though he used to make a living from nightlife entertainment businesses, he will not be allowing anyone to bring alcoholic drinks to the park.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 24 December 2005 :-

Thailand rockets to No 2 car exporter to Singapore

Singapore - Thailand has become the second-largest supplier of cars to Singapore, accounting for one in four new automobiles sold this year, distributors said today.

While Japan has maintained the number one spot, Toyota, Honda and Chevrolet have ramped up their exports from Thailand since 2003.

Thai-made cars accounted for barely one in 10 cars sold in the city-state three years ago.

A check on distributors by The Straits Times found more than 80 per cent of Toyta cars sold by Borneo Motors were made in Thailand, including the Corolla, Camry, Vios and Fortunner.

Together with Honda's City and Accord, and Chevrolet's Optra, nearly 24,000 Thai-made cars were sold in Singapore during 2005. Japanese makes accounted for 43,500.

The number of cars from Thailand, dubbed the "Detroit of the East", is expected to increase next year when the Toyota Yaris hatchback arrives, according to Borneo Motors.

Vehicles from non-traditional sources such as Indonesia, the Philippines and China have started trickling in, industry observers noted.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 24 December 2005 :-

JUST A THOUGHT: How to make Bangkok truly world class

Getting all caught up in the euphoria of housing Southeast Asia’s biggest shopping mall and largest aquarium, coupled with the criss-crossing of the city by the Skytrain and subway, it’s easy to believe that Bangkok is indeed a world-class city. Or is it? A quick trip round town reveals the reality of this City of Angels. It is not pedestrian-friendly at all.

A greater emphasis on pedestrians is needed, because a beautiful city should be one that can be enjoyed simply by taking a stroll along the street.

Apart from the air and noise pollution, there are not enough bridges and crossings to make life safe and sound for those on foot. Pedestrians often risk their lives and dart across the street just seconds away from the flow of speeding cars. Worse, in some areas night-time lighting is so dim that it’s perfect for road accidents, theft and criminal assault. The recent carnage in which a 13-year-old boy was killed while crossing a street in the early morning is a case in point.

Furthermore, the streets, roads, stairways, parking lots ... well, almost all basic infrastructure, is not disabled-friendly at all! It’s a wonder how people in wheelchairs can move up those steep staircases and the blind actually cross the street at the right time. We totally lack a sound-alert system at crossings, as well as Braille writing to help those who need it to navigate through the city.

Famous news anchor Krissana Chaiyarat, who has been confined to a wheelchair for eight years now, summed it up best: “Disability results from an environment that does not facilitate, in terms of infrastructure, for the disabled. If society had sufficient facilities, there would be no disabled. We would be able to travel and do everything just like anyone else.”

A glimmer of hope, however, has come from Bangkok Deputy Governor Samart Ratchapolsitte, who recently revealed that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration does include proper wheelchair paths in its plans for the city. It is now conducting a survey to determine where to hold a pilot project.

What is most nightmarish about walking down any street in Bangkok is that you must look out for the cars and not vice versa. In any world-class city, drivers watch for pedestrians and usually stop for them. But here, it’s: “Drivers first, pedestrians beware!” There are moments when you just have to hold your breath: a pedestrian makes it almost halfway into the street, and instead of stopping, a vehicle makes a last-minute manoeuvre to avoid the person and swooshes on by.

Such discourteous behaviour is not limited to drivers, actually. Take a look at the way in which passengers will rush to squeeze onto their bus. Maybe it has to do with the fact that buses usually rush through their stops. Only if bus drivers take passenger safety to heart can this problem be solved.

And believe it or not, some passengers taking the Skytrain and subway still have trouble waiting for people inside to get off first before moving in, despite the presence of those bright yellow arrows clearly indicating where they should stand.

The most chaotic scenes, however, are most commonly seen in the, ahem, ladies’ room. Yes, and especially in department stores. Unless there is a sign telling customers to queue up on a first-come, first-served basis, people simply try their luck by standing in front of a particular stall in the hope that whoever’s inside will be the first one to finish among the others occupied. Seriously, this is not a joke!

But despite all of this commotion, one can still find refuge in, once again ... shopping malls, of course! What else could possibly compare with those spacious and air-conditioned halls lined up with goodies from around the globe? Siam Paragon completes the shopping Mecca that is Bangkok, which some would claim is on a par with or even better than Singapore’s Orchard Road.

But again, the word “Singapore” conjures up images of luxurious greenery, lots of trees and parks alongside the concrete structures. This is exactly what Bangkok needs. We have large parks in certain corners of the city, but we need lots more. They don’t have to be big, they only need to be spread out more through the city.

It’s such a pity that stately trees are almost always uprooted to make way for roads. The lush scenery scattered here and there is decreasing while the numbers of roads and cars turning some roads into absolute eyesores are increasing.

And this is not even taking into account all those entangling electricity wires on super-visible poles and the myriad styles of buildings lined up alongside each other.

Another crucial facility that Bangkok greatly needs in order to become truly world class is an extensive public-library system. Existing libraries are either filled with old books that are out of touch with the majority of this generation’s interests or require a fee to enter. University libraries are reliable but mainly filled with academic texts that may not appeal to the general public, especially youths.

There is no doubt that the availability of books for all to read for free would certainly lead to a more knowledgeable society, because as it is right now only those with enough purchasing power can afford to buy good books.

Having said all this, Bangkok is still a wonderful, vivacious city like nowhere else. Let’s just hope those responsible will transform it in ways that make it even greater!

Veenarat Laohapakakul

[KatoeyLover69]

Here's the map of Patpong showing all the A Go Go bars and massage parlours :-

http://www.nanadisco.com/Maps/patpong.html


Another map of Patpong :-

http://www.mensasia.com/Travel/Thail.../Patpong2.html



Overall location of Patpong :-

http://www.mensasia.com/Travel/Thail.../Patpong1.html

http://www.mensasia.com/Travel/Thail...ngkokmaps.html

[KatoeyLover69]

Depending on your destination, sometimes it's cheaper and faster to travel by River Taxi.

Here's the Bangkok River Taxi Map :


http://www.mensasia.com/Travel/Thail...Rivertaxi.html

[KatoeyLover69]

Somtimes because of the notorious Bangkok traffic jams, it is better to travel by the BTS Syktrain :-

http://www.mensasia.com/Travel/Thail.../Skytrain.html

[KatoeyLover69]

Patpong has been going strong now for over 30+ years and is the best known area out of the four main spots and the only one out of the four not in the Sukhumvit area. Patpong is located at Silon Road with a BTS Station at Sala Daeng.

Over the past few years Patpong has lost a lot of customers to Nana Plaza, which could be crowned as the new Queen of A go go and beer bars in Bangkok, but Patpong is still going strong and has a world famous notoriety that the others will never take away.

Patpong consist of two streets Patpong 1 and 2, Patpong 1 is the main street with most of the better known kings group A go go bars and a busy night time market. There is also an upstairs in some areas but these are mainly rip off bars, you could really get into big hassles in these and with the one or two that are just ok, its not even worth the time to mention them other then to say " stay out of the second floor bars ".

Our input

Patpong has the best looking ladies but other then that Patpong.... sucks, period. There is nothing in Patpong that you can't find at Nana or Cowboy, except the scams and ripoffs, other then its reputation and a few stunners (you can find good looking women else where too) there is nothing in Patpong that makes it worth even a look. In the past you could always go to the Kings groups of bars and find some hot ladies and feel that your not being soaked for thousands of Baht but now we are hearing reports of bill padding scams even at these bars so now there is nothing in Patpong that we could recommend except one or two bars and that's not worth a trip all the way out there. Our only real recommendation with Patpong is go to Nana Plaza.

Bars Bars and More Bars

There are a lot of bars in Patpong 1 and 2, below are some reviews of a few bars and links. One quick note is that we looked everywhere for bar websites in Patpong and the only one that we could find is "Golfinger", its also our recommended club.

Bar Reviews

Goldfinger
Goldfinger is one of the better bars in Patpong and is our number one choice of clubs to chill and hang for while. There are a few noticeable differences with this bar compared to others in Patpong. The first being the music, they play only classic rock and roll, so if your not into this type of music then this would not be the place for you, I love it so this might be why I like this bar so much. The second, which I think is the most important, the girls are friendly as hell here, you go to other clubs and most seem to have this "I don't give a shit just give me your money" look on their faces but at Goldfinger they seem to have gotten past that somehow. The bar itself is roomy enough and the women range from good looking to average (no real stunners), but I go to this club for good music and good drink in a fun environment and they do deliver that very well.

King Castle 1
We will review some Kings groups clubs here but let me say this one quick thing, these clubs in the past were always reliable and safe but now we are hearing reports of billing padding, if you do go please watch this. The best way to prevent this is to pay as you go, order a beer or ladies drink and pay for it right away, do not run a tab to be paid at the end of the night.

Once you hit this bar your right in the middle of the action and of Patpong. Here is high intensity and major parting, the bar is always packed with tourist looking for a wild night in Bangkok. You can find some real stunners here some of the best looking working girls in Bangkok but at a price. The girls here are with out a doubt business women and know exactly what they are worth. They play new pop music and they play it load, the bar is big but most times very packed.

King Castle III
One of the smaller Kings group clubs and could be easily passed up while walking by. This is a very small club but the dancers are good and the staff friendly. If your looking for a quieter Kings bar then this might be the place.

Kings Corner
This club has one of the best locations in Patpong so it is always packed and pumping with action. I have to say that this club has the best looking women in all of Bangkok, but with that said the ladies know it and it is all business here. You have a hell of a time to even get a girl to sit down and talk to you unless you buy them a drink as there will be plenty of other farangs just waiting their turn. I'm fairly young, nice build and have been told good looking (Thai women don't count, they tell everyone they're good looking) and I even have problems hooking up with the ladies unless the money is coming out of the pocket. We recommend going to this club during the weekday.

Price List

The prices here vary greatly but here are a few determining factors, the 1st is how the lady looks, if she is a stunning lass then expect to pay prime prices. The second is you, unlike the west where a prostitute will go with just about any one, these lady are choosy at times, if the lady is young and fine and your old fat and ugly, she might not go with you or you might have to pay the prime rate, but if your young and thin then the going average rate should apply. Its all about supply and demand and the demand has been out pacing the supply lately here in Patpong. There are others factors too, how your dressed, if your new (believe me they know a newbie) to this, if your Asian forget about it take a loan because the price has just doubled at least. Its not that they don't like Asian men, its due to the Japanese coming over during their economic boom and paying outrageous prices, the girls just got used to thinking Asian man big money. So as you can see the prices are not fixed and so it is hard to say what you will have to pay but below is a high and low that if you stick to it you should be ok. For gods sake don't go over the high, every time you do it just brings all the prices up and also this does not include bar fines which are between 300 to 500 bht.

Short Time ( Low ) 1,000 Bht
Short Time ( High ) 2,000 Bht

All Night ( Low ) 1,500 Bht
All Night ( High ) 3,000 Bht

Now this is just a basic guide line, but ugly girls will go for less (and there are some) this is for an above average looking girl and your not a hunch back or something. I know that there will be guys out there that say I've gotten them for 500 bht or less, yea what ever, I've gotten them for free but the point is that these are working girls so unless your Tom Cruz 99% of the time you will pay at least the low end c

Tips and Warnings : USE THE TOURIST POLICE!

Patpong is not a place to be stupid, out of Patpong, Nana and Cowboy, I feel that Patpong is really the only place that you might find yourself with a real problem, maybe even a serious ass kicking by the locals. I would recommend that you stay away from the guys offering you shows, stay away from the second floor, stick to the main streets ground floor bars and A go gos like the Kings group and keep your wits about you and you should be fine.

Bargain, bargaining with the ladies for the price is cool and recommended (not the bar fine, this is set by the bar and is a fixed price) but make sure you agree on the price before you leave. Even if she says, " up to you " or " pay what you want if I good ", still settle on a price or you might have an argument in the morning when she asks for much more then your willing to pay.

[KatoeyLover69]

Nana Plaza

Nana Plaza relatively is a very small area, no more then a court yard surrounded by three floors of A Go Go clubs. When this place gets busy and packed the bottom floor is wall to wall people. With that said I really enjoy Nana Plaza, its like going to a small shopping mall for sex, which is cool. Nana Plaza is also coming out as the top spot in Bangkok catching up and overtaking Patpong over the last few years. I remember first going to Nana and at times there would be no more then a few westerners there, now its busy almost every night.

Nana Plaza, as all areas, has been somewhat effected by the recent crack down by the men in brown. Nana was always known for its shows and "extra" entertainment venues, but that has all but been shut down. It is slowly coming back and you will find a few bars dancing topless again but the shows are still gone with the exception of the G-Spot which must have some kind of connection to stay open. This has slowed things down a bit but at least it has freed up a few extra bar stools.

The first floor is by far the busiest with a few beer bar style clubs right out in front. Some of the best and most popular clubs are Playskool,Raindow 1 and Voodoo.

The second floor contains a lot of small bars, often frequented by ex-pats. The best know bar would be the G-spot .

The third floor has a few, really big bars, Hollywood Strip, Hollywood Two and Carnival . These bars used to be famous for their live sex shows but due to the crack down that has all but stopped.

Our input

Nana for us is the current place to be, it has the best looking, the most girls and the best best environment . Even though it can be packed at times it is much more laid back and comfortable then Patpong, plus the surrounding area is packed full of bars restaurants and hotels for you to use before or after your little adventure into the heart of Nana's courtyard. if your looking for just pure sex with good looking women in a fun and laid back environment then Nana is the place to be.

[KatoeyLover69]

Here's a map showing all the A Go Go Bars in Nana Plaza :-

http://www.mensasia.com/Travel/Thail...Maps/Nana.html

[KatoeyLover69]

First Floor
The busy corner of Nana Plaza is located on the far right side. It includes Rainbow 2, Hollywood, Playskool and Rainbow 1. In these bars altogether you will find a few hundreds of girls.

Pretty Lady (former Buttoms Up)is popular at present, with its 'mirror' counter around the dancing stage. Lollipop has just been reopened after a period functioning as a ladyboy bar. It has now an airconditined foyer with pool tables in front.

In front of most bars on the ground floor, and in the middle of the Plaza, are various beer bars. If you favor that, you can watch life soccer games there on most evenings.

The entrance of Nana Plaza has beerbars on both sides.


The second floor of Nana Plaza has a lot of smaller bars, with a more 'intimate' environment. There is one huge bar though, G-spot, in the right far corner.

On the left, other more 'regular' a-go-go bars are Rainbow 3 and Angelwitch. Angelwitch in particular is a popular spot, since it features both good looking girls and some well choreographed shows. Casanova is a exclusively ladyboy bar.

In the right close corner, reached after using the escalator we find Fantasia, Mandarin and Silver Dragon. Mandarin is an interesting bar, with multiple levels and a transparent floor between two dancing stages. Rainbow 4 has just opened in May 2005, and most likely will become a very popular bar (if the other Rainbow bars are anything to go by)


The third floor of Nana Plaza has only a few bars. However they all are huge, and when busy, can house quite a number of girls. Hollywood Strip has been renamed Carousel bar, after being remodeled and now featuring two large carousels. Shows are featured, with the girls now dressed up though. Carnival is a huge bar on the right, also featuring a carousel, with much less girls and activity though than a year or two ago. Cascade is a 'ladyboy' bar.

[KatoeyLover69]

There was a time, about 5 years ago when the majority of the bars employed some transvestites and/or some sex reassigned persons. For the old hands, things usually are pretty obvious, and they had some fun, observing the tourists and newcomers becoming prey to the ladyboys. Casanova at Nana Plaza (located second floor left far corner) has been around probably since about the start of business at Nana. A few years back we got some 'specialty' bars at Nana Plaza, actually quite a few of them. On the ground floor we have Obsession, on the second floor the already mentioned Casanova bar, and Temptations (next to Rainbow 4). On the top floor we have Cascade. In these bars altogether you will find probably more than a hundred ladyboys.

So the ladyboys disappeared from the regular bars. Since this happened in a relatively short time period, we suspect there was some agreement between most bars to do so. The disappearance of the katoeys overall was a good idea. Mostly they were thriving on deception. It is all good and well when the customers are looking for transvestite action. But a lot of unsuspecting touists fell prey, and got a good surprise when taking out one of the ladyboys. The fact that their activities where based on deception, of course caused a lot of hard feelings for the victims.

But now the ladyboys are making a comeback to the regular bars. It must be said that nowadays their overall number has increased a lot, and there are tens of them hanging around now at the entrance of Nana Plaza, around lower Sukhumvit at night, and close to the entrance(s) of Soi Cowboy. But we saw some actually dancing again in some of the bars.

G-spot (Nana Plaza) has at least a couple of them. Long Gun (Soi Cowboy) had a katoey dancing naked on stage the other day (postoperative of course). And at Suzie Wong (Soi Cowboy) a katoey (a very well done one) was actually participating in the 'lesbian' show.

We probably said so before, but it is worth repeating. When you notice a ladyboy, do not go around pointing fingers, and start discussing things with your friends in obvious fashion. Don't start staring at them checking them out in a non-sexual, but investigative way. Some of them get easily upset when discovered and certainly when you pass on the information to other customers around you. You may find out that they look like females to a large extent, but when you upset them, it may become obvious sometimes that they are genetically male.

Bangkok is probably the capital of sex reassignment surgery. There are at least about 15 establishments, hospitals and clinics that specialize in this surgery. The standards of selection must be very low, although most of them claim to include a psychologic evaluation before considering surgery. That the selection is poor, is obvious when observing the number of ladyboys that turn up in the sex trade. It is like a fair amount of people who go for transgender surgery, do so with the intent of then turning tricks around Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. We can not really consider this activity as 'normal'.

About Lady Boys (Katoeys)
Anyone visiting the nightlife scene in Bangkok and around Thailand most likely is familiar with the presense of many (relatively speaking) lady boys or katoeys (in Thai language).

I think the generally accepted term for this third sex is transvestites. Most of them in daily live have upgraded themselves with female attributes like hairdo, prominent breasts, fancy dresses, a lot of make-up etc. In Thailand there is also a well established prevalence of gender surgery where the male sex organs are removed and remodeled through plastic surgery into female sex organs.

The above surgery is performed rather frequently. One supposed reason being that there is less importance given to psychological evaluation before surgery as done in the West. The prove that some of these persons have psychological problems is clearly found in the fact that a lot of them end up in the sex trade, rather than leading an otherwise normal life.

There used to be a time when most of the larger bars at Nana Plaza (and some at Soi Cowboy) had a contingent of lady boys. Possibly they were kind of liked by management because they were rather agressive in promoting themselves with the customers, thus generating income for the bars. On the other hand, they were more likely to generate trouble in and out of the bars. Some customers probably got more than they bargained for, when seeing their 'lady' emerge from the bathroom in the hotel. So nowadays lady boys have mostly disappeared from the regular a-go-go bars.

The main problem with lady boys in the bars was deception. While some customers may prefer their presence and services, a lot of first time visitors somehow fail to distinguish between them and 'normal' women. And the lady boy will certainly not tell them what they are.

But for those who prefer their services, the three floors at Nana Plaza have bars that solely have katoeys working in them. The longest established bar is Casanova on the second floor. At present also Obsession on the ground floor, and Cascade on the third floor, have lady boys in abundance.

Many lady boys are working the streets around Nana Plaza. Quite a few position themselves at the entrance to Nana Plaza itself, looking mainly for drunk males, about to leave Nana Plaza without a companion yet. In the evening and at night, the Sukhumvit section between Soi 3 and Soi 5 ( Foodland) has besides a lot of street prostitutes, also a big bunch of lady boys working the field.

At Soi Cowboy, lady boys are less prevalent. However, there are a few of them working at the Soi 23 end of the soi. If you leave Soi Cowboy from that corner alone, you should not be surprised when followed, touched, by lady boys, wanting your attention.

How to recognize lady boys or katoeys. The answer : It is like distinguished between men and women, or between cats and dogs. You know what is a cat or a dog, when you see it, without needing to go over their different body parts before making a decision.

It is a given that MANY male customers visiting the nightlife scene lack an ability to figure out the katoeys though. Long-time residents usually can recognize them from a distance. (But one should never assume one is a total expert, since some lady boys are well 'done' indeed)

Most strictly speaking 'male' attributes can be corrected nowadays by surgery. Breast, sexual organs, buttocks shape, Adam's apple can all by adapted, removed or added. General physical appearance usually is more difficult to change. Big muscles, wide shoulders, large hands and feet can give a good hint.

Besides physical characteristics, general behaviour of katoeys can be a give away. It can be summarized as : They try to hard to look and behave like females. Their body movement are frequently exagerated. On the other hand, if you have an argument with them, you will see the 'male' part get out of its cocoon.

As an added precaution : Most of the katoeys working the streets do so in groups. So while you may be talked to by one person, more are observing you all around, and may try to join the action. The katoeys close to Nana Plaza reportedly also have been known to be good pickpockets.

[KatoeyLover69]

You will be charged for changing TCs - but you will also be offered a higher rate (about 1 baht more). Cash gets you a lower rate than TCs - about 1 baht. There's no difference for bigger denominations, that only applies to US dollars (more for $100 bills). Bureaux de change offer a better rate than banks SO - shop around. Rates fluctuates hourly & it can be a good idea to only change money as you need to if the rate is low & change more if the rate is good. If staying outside BKK it is always a good idea to change a bit more than enough before you leave BKK as rural rates are not so good but there's loads of ATM machines all over Thailand. Never change money with the hotel - rates are worse than "on the street".

FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE RULES:

1/. Use the meter in a taxi. If not on then tell the driver to turn it on. If you use a tuk tuk negotiate the price first.

2/. Carry a Bus road map. They are everywhere for 40 baht & buses are plentiful. 3.5baht on the red buses & small mini buses and 7-10 baht for the air con ones.

3/.Try using the sky-train. I think the Thais are afraid of heights as not many seem to frequent the sky train. It's clean, safe & quick especially if going from Silom to the end of Sukhumvit Rd. Its well marked and you make a change if going to Silom Rd from say Sukhumvit. On the plus side its faster than a cab or bus. However one regret-- there's no toilets.

4/.The old story: if you get accosted on the street by male or female intent on helping you, be careful-- they will most certainly lead you to a Jewelry scam shop or some other place. They will even make you laugh & know your country or town or are a medical student in their last year of study. Say no. Besides, exploring yourself is part of the fun & who needs company during the "day's shopping spree".

5/. Yes! don't be afraid to try the world's best food. Thai food is delicious. When you see a place full of Thais then give it a try as the food will be safe.

6/. No you don't need to drink the tap water as bottled water is everywhere from 5-10 baht & 7/11's are everywhere 24 hours a day.

7/. Carry money as you need it. ATM's are everywhere & why lose your money when you needn't have carried so much in the first place.

8/. Only use safes in respected Hotels & not in guest houses. Remember they can zap your card then slip is back into your safety box & this happens in Khao Sarn Rd.

9/. If out late at night try not to wear too much gold especially travelling outside Bangkok. You never know who is taking a shine to your jewelry kit & Thais simply love gold.

10/. After all that you'll want a beer but if you are with a bar girl drink your drink before you go to the "John". Always watch your bottle being opened including a water bottle as it does happen here where you may fall asleep right at the bar & wake up minus your wallet 10 hours later. Caused by pills being dropped into your drink. Even a full bottle of water can contain drugs.

11/. Be yourself & leave your attitudes at home because Thai's love to smile. They want you to do the same as well and enjoy their culture because really in more ways than not we have lost ours in the West!

12/. Don't bring jumpers and jerseys to Thailand. Clothes are cheap here and best start a new wardrobe once you arrive. However come January it can get cool at night especially in the North. Use the fan trains etc during this time.

13/. If you take a girl back to your room from a bar be careful and keep your valuables well hidden. Ask the price first & keep your money in a safe place. Never carry a lot of money around with you & do not show off. A lot of hotels now take the girl's ID card & will write her name etc down in case she disappears on you.

14/. Wanting to buy a business or rent a house ask us-- its FREE

15/. When you arrive at Don Muang go to the departure upstairs 3rd floor & walk out to a waiting taxi then you won't have all the touts. As a Taxi drops someone off you hop in. If late don't go on tollway. If staying at Sukhumvit use the tollway at the end --pay 40 baht. The trip should cost 160 baht on the meter if traffic minimal or 200-250 baht other than that.

16/. Remember all hotel entrances, bus & train stations, temples etc have loads of touts ready to take your dollar.

17/. If going trekking up North don't book accommodation or Treks in Khao San Rd. Its dear & not what you think once you arrive. Cheap is cheap-- want to catch a nice bus to Chiangmai go to the Northern Bus station & book on the Nachonchair Air Bus. Great service, drinks, 32 seaters & comfort. They have their own terminal & most leave in afternoon & early evenings

18/. On trains and buses do not accept food from people you do not know. Drugs are easy to knock you out & you could find your trip short lived because of it.

19/. Hey, but don't let all this deter you. Such things do occur but it won't happen to you cause you just read the rules & now you know.

Chok dee Khruup & enjoy your stay in "the Land of Smiles"..

[KatoeyLover69]

Originally Posted by thaivisitor

Waaa!! you also become consultant to Thailand?

Bro, want to do cut and paste, please read first and amend accordingly mah...

Anyway, your efforts are good and well appreciated.

Cheers
Tee Vee

Uncle TV,

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to read my postings

Actually, I purposely put in the item no. 14 ( Wanting to buy a business or rent a house ask us-- its FREE ) to find out whether those reading the article are very alert or are 'sleeping' - it's meant to be a joke !

Well, it's proven that you were 'very alert' and couldn'nt be 'tricked' into accepting just anything you are reading

[KatoeyLover69]

Originally Posted by thaivisitor

Actually, read your thread save me time from reading newspaper too. kekekekeke

I'm waiting for the article on the clash at Thaksin's house. When you going to post?
Cheers
Tee Vee

Bro TV,

Here's the article, specially for you ...............

Report from The Nation dated Sunday 25 December 2005 :-

POLITICAL DRAMA: Protesters clash at Thaksin’s house

Pro-democracy groups and Egat unions demand PM’s resignation. A crowd of 200 protesters marched to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s residence on Charan Sanitwong 69 Road in the early hours of yesterday morning to demand an end to the Egat privatisation plan.

Some of the demonstrators, mostly from pro-democracy groups and Egat Plc employees, also demanded the prime minister’s resignation, accusing him of mismanaging the country’s affairs.

The protesters had attended the talk show of media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul at Lumpini Park on Friday evening and afterwards travelled to the premier’s house on the other side of Bangkok, arriving after midnight.

However, they were blocked at the entrance to the soi by anti-riot police forces and could not reach the premier’s residence despite several attempts.

Thaksin, who had been inspecting the flood situation in the South, reached home not long before the protesters reached there.

“The march is a gesture of protest against the Thaksin government,” said protest organiser Anusorn Som-on.

Anusorn said many people were disappointed with Thaksin, particularly with his plan to privatise Egat, the state-run electricity company.

“We want Thaksin to explain the Egat privatisation,” he said. “We also demand that he return his power to the King in order for His Majesty to bestow it back to the people.”

The protesters camped on the sidewalk throughout the night and made several attempts to cross the police barricades. No casualties were reported.

Earlier on Friday, a group of about 200 anti-Sondhi Chiang Rai residents tried to disrupt his talk show, prompting an exchange of words with his supporters at Lumpini Park.

Members of the rival groups were seen engaging in fisticuffs, but no complaints were lodged with police.

Former Thai Rak Thai MP Pichet Chuamuangphan organised the Chiang Rai group’s trip to Bangkok.

Commenting on the incidents, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called for calm, saying opposing sides were entitled to air their opinions and should not allow the debate to degenerate into violence.

Prime Minister Thaksin hit back at the increasing criticism he faces in his weekly radio address yesterday, accusing his critics of having ulterior motives.

“Lately I have been bombarded with criticism and I don’t know what to do or say as my critics try to fault me,” he said. “But I am not disheartened because they have agendas against me,” he added.

“My critics are attacking out of frustration that I stand in the way of their cheating, or that I refused to grant television concessions, or that they lost their Cabinet positions,” he said.

Thaksin said he would not waver in his determination to serve the public, pointing out that he was elected by almost 20 million voters.

He said he would carry on his fight to protect the public interest and root out corruption, regardless of what critics said.

Reacting to Thaksin’s comments, Abhisit said the prime minister might have misrepresented his critics.

“It is true that some critics might have hidden agendas, but the majority of criticism has been made with good intentions,” he said.

Thaksin’s arrogance would attract even more opponents, the Democrat leader said.

He urged Thaksin to try to rebut allegations rather than discredit his critics.

“Many leading figures, non-governmental organisations and academics have been questioning the government on myriad issues. They are acting out of concern for the country and not because of grudges,” he said.

[KatoeyLover69]

KathoeyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


A kathoey or katoey (in Thai กะเทย) is a male-to-female transgender person in Thailand. They are sometimes referred to as ladyboys or as the third sex in Thailand.

Virtually all kathoey cross-dress and undergo hormone replacement therapy; most have breast implants; some also undergo genital reassignment surgery to transform their genitals, surgery to reduce the size of the Adam's apple, and other surgical procedures. They often start to cross-dress, take female hormones and undergo various surgical procedures at quite a young age. Their makeup, dress and figure is usually very feminine.

Many kathoey work in entertainment and tourist centers, as dancers, in cabaret shows (Alcazar and Tiffanys in Pattaya being among the best known ones) or as prostitutes. There are also persistent reports of groups of kathoey working as pickpockets in tourist areas. Kathoey working in regular occupations are however not uncommon; some of them are valued beauticians or hair stylists.

Compared to Western countries, where transgender and transsexuals are just beginning to become visible (and demand their rights), kathoey are much more visible and more widely accepted in Thai culture: several popular Thai models, singers and movie stars are kathoey, and Thai newspapers often print photos of the winners of female and kathoey beauty contests side by side. The phenomenon is not restricted to urban areas; there are kathoey in most villages, and kathoey beauty contests are commonly held as part of local fairs.

Some believe that this higher acceptance is due to the nature of the surrounding Buddhist culture, which places a high value on tolerance. A possible explanation for the high number of kathoey is the fact that open male homosexuality is a much more recent and less visible phenomenon in Thailand; becoming a kathoey might thus be a solution for a number of male homosexuals. However, kathoey generally seek male sexual partners who identify themselves as heterosexual and not as gay.

The lives of kathoey are not as easy as many Westerners might believe. Families (and especially fathers) are typically disappointed if a son becomes a kathoey. Legal recognition of kathoey is non-existent in Thailand: even after genital reassignment surgery, they are not allowed to change their legal sex. (Compare Legal aspects of transsexualism). Kathoeys are also estimated to have been one of the groups that suffered most from the Indian Ocean earthquake, having far less familial support and recourse to government help than most other groups in society. Further, kathoey often belong to lower social classes, and their suicide rate is significantly higher than that of the general population.

The term "kathoey" is occasionally also used for effeminate male homosexuals who don't cross-dress, and " kathoey-saloey " is a pejorative slang term for these people, roughly equivalent to the English " faggot ".


In 1996, a kathoey education student murdered a young woman. This was followed by negative coverage of kathoey in the Thai press; the Rajabhat Institutes (teacher training colleges) then closed their doors to all kathoey. The decision had to be reversed after protests by gay, lesbian and feminist groups.

In 1996, a volleyball team composed mostly of gays and kathoey, known as the " Iron Ladies ", won the Thai national championship. The Thai government, concerned with the country's image, then barred two of the kathoey from joining the national team and competing internationally.

Among the most famous kathoey in Thailand is Nong Tum, a former champion kick boxer. She was already cross-dressing and taking hormones while still a popular boxer; she would enter the ring with long hair and makeup, occasionally kissing a defeated opponent. Her career ended in 1999 when she had genital reassignment surgery.


Films
Ladyboys is a 1992 documentary film made for Channel 4 TV and directed by Jeremy Marre. It relates the story of two teenage kathoey who prepare for and enter a rural beauty contest and then leave for Pattaya to find work in a cabaret revue.

The story of the Iron Ladies volleyball team underlies the successful 2000 movie The Iron Ladies and the 2003 sequel The Iron Ladies 2.

The 2002 Thai film Saving Private Tootsie tells the story of a group of gays and kathoey who have to be rescued after a plane crash in rebel-held jungle territory. The film explores anti-gay attitudes in various ways. It is loosely based on an incident in December 1998 when a group including a popular singer and his kathoey makeup artist survived a plane crash.

The life of the kathoey kick boxer Nong Tum is related in the 2003 movie Beautiful Boxer.

.... to be continued......... ( Part 2 )