16 replies to this topic

[Orion]

As an avid reader and occasional poster on all the gay expat posting boards for years, I have noticed a recent trend toward less posting on all the boards and what I would call "specialization" among the four boards.I suspect that this specialization is caused by too many boards appealing to too few posters. The recent closing of Pattaya Passion illustrates the point. What did it offer that you couldn't find said or done better on another board ?

Maybe the only way to develop a steady following is to offer a niche that the others don't have. For example, this looks like the niche that's developed among the four board right now:

Baht Stop: Plenty of good political discussion but little else in the way of sex for a gay Thailand board.

GayThailand: Some helpful hints on occasion but not enough interesting posters to avoid being banal

Gay Ting & Tong: Appealing most to gay sex tourists, with plenty about bars and events, but too few good posters to create any excitement

Sawatdee Gay Thailand: Good source for gay business rumors but too many old queens with nothing to do but insult each other while they drive everyone else away

I just wonder if the pool of gay men interested in Thailand is declining and not large enough to support so many boards with enough posters. I recall that the best posting board around in its day was PattayaGay, but it was the only real Thai board in town. Maybe too many boards chasing too few followers is the real problem.

[Bob]

As an .......occasional poster on all the gay expat posting boards for years....

After a while, perhaps some of the posters grow tired of it. Heck if I know (it's not something I really fret about).

I notice this is your first post here yet you say you occasionally post on all the boards. Under what screen name? And why didn't you elect to post the topic under your regular screen name? (You obviously don't have to answer this but I'm mildly curious as to the motivation here).

While it's irrelevant, I don't agree with some of your characterizations about some of the boards mentioned; however, I generally try to not gripe about a given board except on that board.

[DOLLY]

My sense is that there has been a noticeable drop in postings across the boards and I think it may be part of the general decline of gay interest in Thailand and the low season too. On Sawatdee, the passing of some of the more prolific posters like the Colonel and Wowpow have also left big gaps in posting and many of the active posting veterans there seem to have drifted away over the past few years.

As for Bathstop, I enjoy the politics because it's the only place where gay expats who try to follow Thai politics can get an intelligent analysis in English that does not just mimic the government line of the two main newspapers. This board has certainly got its share of anti-government posters, but I find that much more informative than the GayThailand board whose the few active political posters never criticize the government.

How many boards are too many ?

Who knows but I hope they all stick around to make rainy mornings here more interesting.

[Lucas]

I like only the Baht-Stop as a message board.
I think the Baht-Stop is a little to political but its to us how much we like to read of it.
For sure the Baht-Stop gives me a good insight in Thai-Politics.
After reading the Baht-Stop I do not have to read the news-papers anymore.
I myself never post about Thai-Politics. I rather talk about sex ( thats the only thing I can do very well)
Remember , A dirty mind is a joy forever.

At the Gay-Thailand forum you can find a bunch of uninteligent posters who don't know nothing about Thailand. The only thing they know about Thai news is what they get copied and get pasted from Gay-Thailands new journalist G.B.
Its funny to see their discussions about how much for an of ( this discussion they have at least 100 times a year) Its funny to read their restaurant reviews for restaurants under the 100 baht for a three course meal.

Even if they would pay me 1000 baht a topic I wouldn't post on that board. ( hehehe)

No for a litle touch of Class ,Style and IQ I would say THE BAHT-STOP.

I am sure a lot of us Pattaya Expats would agree.

Isn't it ?

[Pussy]

While it's irrelevant, I don't agree with some of your characterizations about some of the boards mentioned; however, I generally try to not gripe about a given board except on that board.

Of course you wouldn't. You're Bob O'Reilly, Gay Thailand's Fair and Balanced correspondent who always wants to be seen as saying the right things and perpetually reminds us that you do take the Middle Path just like Lord Buddha. What would we do without you. Hell, what would the world do without you.

[Khor tose]

Baht Stop: Plenty of good political discussion but little else in the way of sex for a gay Thailand board.
GayThailand: Some helpful hints on occasion but not enough interesting posters to avoid being banal
Gay Ting & Tong: Appealing most to gay sex tourists, with plenty about bars and events, but too few good posters to create any excitement
Sawatdee Gay Thailand: Good source for gay business rumors but too many old queens with nothing to do but insult each other while they drive everyone else away

Sawatdeegay Thailand--With few exceptions home of the nuts, ass....s, people with suspicious sexual orientation, and idiots.

GayThailand--Some great posters, but way to pro government as many lack the ability to think beyond the government press.

Gay Ting and Tong--The best moderated board with some outstanding members, but too Pattaya oriented.

Baht Stop--way to many people who think alike and do not want to hears view that are counter to their own. See Pussy's comment above as typical.

[Pussy]

Baht Stop--way to many people who think alike and do not want to hears view that are counter to their own.

Khormatose and dyslexic?

[Sexpat]

On Sawatdee, the passing of some of the more prolific posters like the Colonel and Wowpow have also left big gaps in posting and many of the active posting veterans there seem to have drifted away over the past few years.

I have also drifted away when the bitchiness spread to every thread, but I get the feeling when I do go back on occasion that many of the old queens are still posting but using a variety of new names to disguise themselves. No matter what name they use, they can't seem to break the habit of bitch, bitch, bitch.

[Bernard]

I find Gaytingtong too much of an old boys' club with the members backslapping each other instead of making substantive contributions. Posts are readable but nothing noteworthy.

Sawatdee Forum, having seen an exodus of good contributors, is now just a playground for Smiles and his hydra heads.

Gaythailand is obviously a commercial enterprise with pictures of rentboys from the owners' stud farm gilding the forum. A quick browse of the Aunt Agony-styled topics shows that they are either 'planted' there by Gaythailand himself or his mule Gaybutton. Aunt Agony-type posts are a tried-and-tested crowd pleaser and are very easy to digest, bringing traffic to the forum and more importantly the lucrative escort business that hosts it.

There's nothing to stop anyone from posting non-political topics on Baht Stop if you want some variety. This is the board which suits my interests the best and where I feel most at home.

[kjun12]

I like only the Baht-Stop as a message board.

At the Gay-Thailand forum you can find a bunch of uninteligent posters who don't know nothing about Thailand.

I find your post to be amusing and almost funny. You complain about "uninteligent" posters on that board and don't even realize that you misspelled unintelligent. This is not to mention the other grammatical mistakes in your post. Perhaps you should brush up on your spelling and grammar before you criticize others.

[Taxi driver]

A quick browse of the Aunt Agony-styled topics shows that they are either 'planted' there by Gaythailand himself or his mule Gaybutton. Aunt Agony-type posts are a tried-and-tested crowd pleaser and are very easy to digest, bringing traffic to the forum and more importantly the lucrative escort business that hosts it.

You got that one right. GT and GB function like social directors on a gay cruise of Pattaya Bay, keeping their few regular passengers busy with "what shall we chat about today" topics, while the traffic gets generated on the commercial sex side of the website. The occasional view on Thai politics that's usually started by GB is that hopeless right wing crap that passes for news in the Nation or Bangkok Post and that he copies and posts as gospel. If anything, most of the few regular posters who comment on politics there prove that some farangs can live or visit here for years, know every sex dive in town and not have a clue of what's going on in politics.

[Angel]

no reply from G.B. this time ?
no reply from Gay-Thailand this time ?

I like the Gay-Thailand forum.
Its the best forum Thailand ever had.

[Lucas]

I find your post to be amusing and almost funny. You complain about "uninteligent" posters on that board and don't even realize that you misspelled unintelligent. This is not to mention the other grammatical mistakes in your post. Perhaps you should brush up on your spelling and grammar before you criticize others.

Khun DUMBO what has spelling with grammar to do with the IQ value of me.

[mauRICE]

Khun DUMBO what has spelling with grammar to do with the IQ value of me.

Nothing. You don't need to have perfect English to post here.

[kjun12]

So true. So true. But, the lack of rational content in one's post is relevant to what is believable.

[TheYenta]

I am a firm believer in one of the quotations of Chairman Mao: "Let a thousand flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend."

There's room for everyone among the tiny gay Thailand community and the more boards we have to express ourselves, the better informed we'll all be.

[Lucas]

So true. So true. But, the lack of rational content in one's post is relevant to what is believable.

.

Do you think that there are more inteligent posters on the Gay-Thailand forum as there are over here at the Baht-Stop?

I feel sorry that G.B. doesn't post and doesn't reply on this forum anymore.
I am sure however that two of my good friends will be thrilled to know that G.B. is offffff the baht-stop.