18 replies to this topic

[Tony]

You can't help but notice that most of the topics being posted on this board relate to politics, either Thai politics in this Forum or US and world poltics in "Hedda's Hopper." Even worse, most of those posts are being made by not more than 10-12 posters who somehow think that the gay expat and tourist community in Thailand are interested in all this discussion of olitics.

I sent message to Bahtstop, whoever he is, several days ago - asking that all of these political matters be removed to a special "Political Forum," where they can be read or ignored by the members. Since I have not had the courtesy of a reply to my message, I am posting this here.

Maybe some of you who feel the same way as me can join in the request.

[Snowy]

Some of us have a few brain cells in our heads and not all in a sac between our legs!

The bottom line is that these 'political' topics which you detest so much are clearly indicated in the topic titles and you can ignore them without even opening them; or is even that small task beyond your mental capacity?

[Gene]

There's not much doubt that there's a lot more politics discussed here than on any other board, past or present. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Why shouldn't an expat or frequent visitor be interested in what's going on here. We're supposed to be retired, not brain dead. Personally, I think I've learned a lot about Thai politics reading this forum and have become more interested in following political developments as a result. I don't much care if they are placed in a separate forum, provided there's no attempt to cut back on the postings.

[Hedda]

You can't help but notice that most of the topics being posted on this board relate to politics

As do most topics in any meaningful forum these days, unless we are going to spend our days posting weather reports. I love politics, which must seem obvious to all. I hate weather reports. In the spirit of cooperation, however, I'm perfectly willing to read his posts, if Tony's volunteering to become the board's weatherman. I'm sure that Bahtstop won't even make him do it in a separate weather-proof forum.

[pete1969]

There are a growing number of message boards about gay Thailand. There's over ten now (probably more like fifteen), each with a distinct voice.

This one has evolved into a mostly political board. It serves a purpose.

If the topics here are not to the liking of the OP, visit one of the many other boards. One should suit your needs and be what you are looking for in a message board. IMO, it is sort of like go-go bars. Try them all until you find one that you really like and that has what you want in a board.

Pete

[DollyLamma]

There are a growing number of message boards about gay Thailand. There's over ten now (probably more like fifteen), each with a distinct voice.

I had not idea there were so many. The only ones I know are Bahtstop, Sawatdee Forum, Gay Thailand and TingTong. Could someone add to the list so I can see what I've been missing.

As for too much politics here, I don't contribute much on local matters but I enjoy reading all of it.

[Trongpai]

Thai Visa's gay section; Cruising for Sex Thailand section; Lonely Planet Thorn Tree gay section. With your 4 now that makes 7.

[pete1969]

Utopia has a message board mostly for travelers but with good info and a growing number of posts. Thai Boys has a message board although the use is up and down (the threads linked in their newsletters get a lot of responses, many from non-English speakers). Fridae has a board or a comments sections under posted articles (not sure which) which get a lot of posts from English-speaking Asians (I haven't spent much time on that site, and it is not strictly about Thailand but all Asia, but I recently read a lot of interesting comments about perceptions of Babylon in a sauna thread). Now either Spice or Sticky Rice website has a posting section (maybe both and may be limited to classifieds-not sure). I think Dragoncastle has a board although seldom used. There is the Thai massage yahoo group linked from SGF. One can also chat live at gay.com in their Thailand rooms. One can also post comments and start Internet conversations on several blogs by expats living in LOS (such as Silom's blog).

If one speaks Thai, there are a half dozen or more very popular gay sites used by Thais (with great amatuer pics).

For expats, I would think one of the more popular options would be the city forums on Thai Visa. The BKK, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket ones are all busy and are all related to local stuff. Not specifically gay-related, but IMO, much more interesting than Thai Visa's gay section.

There are so many options (and growing daily) for someone to post and converse about gay Thailand or Thailand in general that the OP should have no problem finding something more suited to what he wants in his Internet posting experience.

Pete

[pete1969]

I had a look around after my last post. Utopia and Thaiboys.net both have message boards.

On Fridae, one can post responses to articles (the ones under sex--found from drop box on right side of page--get the most comments), and it has a very active personals section. Over 1,200 users online when I was there.

Sticky Rice has a large classifieds section (free) but no message board. Spice has a paid classified section.

Dragon Castle no longer has a message board (if they ever did) but now has a large personals section (thaiboys does as well).

Pete

[B.I.G.]

Some of those message boards mentioned above are almost dead when it comes to actve posters and the classified date-hunting that goes on in others is not what I consider a board like this one, SF or GayThailand. As for too much politics here, I'll take that any day over the silliness and sex confession stuff that some boards are dominated by with posters like BBB or lonelywombat. Do creatures like Dodger or bucknaway, who feel pushed to share their private sex life with every starnger on the internet, actually exist and do they invent these experiences like theatrical performances ?

[TheYenta]

Do creatures like Dodger or bucknaway, who feel pushed to share their private sex life with every starnger on the internet, actually exist and do they invent these experiences like theatrical performances ?

Probably a little bit of virtual exhibitionist and gay walter middy in those posters - probably 1/3d actual, 1/3 fictional and 1/3d delusional.

[Dick]

Someone once pointed out on SF that in one of Dodger's most famous ribald tales of his alleged pot-induced sexual adventures in Thailand, he talked about someone being personally involved who another poster noted has been dead for years. I have noticed that Dodger has become less prolific on SF since then. Some of the regulars left on SF still wish that the poster named Black Cute guy who now posts as bucknaway would stop spamming that forum with all his trashy and poorly written sexploits of the bottom sex tourist who never can find the right top. The porno pics and naked ads are bad enough, but when you add guys like BBB, Dodger and bucknaway to the posting pot, its the closest thinng to gay slumming you can find on the internet world of posting boards. I even changed my posting name there to fit in.

[bahtstop]

My apologies to Tony and the board for not responding sooner to his post about "too much politics" on this Board. As some of you know, I am not an expat yet, although I hope to become one in the future. To that degree, I find the outspoken political discussions in the Thai Forum informative and interesting and totally consistent with the right of free political expression across the internet. Contrary to suggestions received in several messages, I have never asked any poster on Bahtstop to refrain from posting any valid political commentary on this board. Most of the expats posting here know far more about Thai politics than I. If a choice were ever required to edit posts because of their political views, I would prefer to close the Board than try to censor its content.

In my opinion, it makes no sense to segregate these political posts in a separate forum, since they can be easily identified by their titles and ignored by any poster who is not inclined to read them.

[EuroGuy]

I would prefer to close the Board than try to censor its content.

Those are very brave words but I wonder if you will feel that way if you wake up someday and find Bahtstop blocked in Thailand because of its political content. I enjoy reading it too but maybe some of the things being said about Thailand politics will offend the wrong people and they will pull the plug. What happens then ?

[Snowy]

I understand that this board's server is hosted in the USA. Even if the Thai powers-that-be try to censor, block or close the board it could still operate via a proxy server for those viewing in Thailand, much the same as SGF now does.

Only my own thoughts and no doubt Bahtstop will respond in due course !

[Hedda]

Those are very brave words but I wonder if you will feel that way if you wake up someday and find Bahtstop blocked in Thailand because of its political content.

I have at times wondered what Gaybutton must have felt like when he switched on his laptop one morning here in Thailand to find that awful green sign in Thai, telling him that some unknown bureaucrat had pulled the plug on his board for unknown reasons and that the only thing to do was have another cup of coffee.

One thing is certain: if and when it happens to Bahtstop, we will all know for sure that we're not in Kansas anymore.

[Gaybutton]

I have at times wondered what Gaybutton must have felt like when he switched on his laptop one morning here in Thailand to find that awful green sign in Thai, telling him that some unknown bureaucrat had pulled the plug on his board for unknown reasons and that the only thing to do was have another cup of coffee.

It wasn't one of my better mornings. My board was the first of these boards to go. There was no warning whatsoever and there was never even a request to change anything, so I remember being quite surprised and confused as to what was going on. The plug was simply pulled and I had no idea why. To this day, I still have no idea why. I tried to get answers, but never got a response of any kind.

I had been thinking seriously about pulling my board offline anyway. It had gotten to be a chore instead of fun and I was devoting as much as five hours per day to it. Whoever the bureaucrat was, he made my decision for me. If I ever meet him, I'll have to remember to thank him.

[dolypardon]

Whoever the bureaucrat was, he made my decision for me. If I ever meet him, I'll have to remember to thank him.
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and thats why I am the mamasan of gay Thailand .com now.

[conrad]

hmm ?