About My Blog
August 18th, 2007First let me say this blog is a compilation of my opinions and perspectives, and should be taken at face value. Ask ten people their opinion on something, and you will get ten different points of view. It is those points that all ten agree on you should write down and take as gospel. Regardless of how confident my posts read, always keep in mind its just one man’s view. As we all know, opinions are like assholes…every body has one.
A friend of mine has repeatedly said to me, “I’m not a know it all…I just know more than you.” I can’t say if I know more than those reading my posts, but I’m absolutely certain I don’t know it all, and I have no doubt there are errors in some of the things I write. My daddy use to say, “Those that believe everything they read also think the moon is made of cheese.”
I’m an American in his fifties living in Bangkok, Thailand. I decided to create this blog, so I could share my experiences and perspectives with those considering a long or short-term stay in Thailand.
Before coming to Thailand I made good use of web sites intended to prepare someone for gay life in Thailand. While they were very useful, I quickly discovered there is a perspective on things these sites did not cover, and there are a lot of details glossed over or never mention. Put another way, there really wasn’t much out there for anyone in the “street wise” department.
RQD is a mix of things really, and not all of it specific to gay lifestyle. It’s all those things I didn’t know before arriving, or have a better understanding of now that I’m here.
At first, sex in Thailand was a prominent topic of my blog. One of the great things about this place, particularly at my age, is the sex. On arrival I had more sex here, in one month, than in the previous 10 years! While my earlier posts read more like a kid in a candy store, I think the blog has evolved, as I have. The sex is still an important topic, but I believe my focus has shifted more to culture and communication, particularly as it relates to interacting with the boys.
It wasn’t what I envisioned when starting this blog, but looking back RQD has become a documentation of my evolution while living here, and I suspect that will continue. Every day is a learning experience, many of which I’ll be sharing with my readers.
One important thing to keep in mind when reading RQD is my experiences are predominantly with the lower class boys. Thus, my observations, opinions, and conclusions are from that perspective. I fully concede there are differences when rubbing elbows with high society, but that’s not my thing, and never will be. I may be considered white collar back home, but deep down I’m a blue collar kind of guy.
I invite you to bookmark my blog, and return often. If nothing else, come back for the pictures, as I’ll be posting a lot of them.
COMMENTS
You may have noticed that comments are turned off on many posts, particularly the older ones. When I first started this blog, comments were turned on, and I got a lot of good feedback from the readers. Unfortunately I also received some real hateful comments. They were so bad I lost interest in continuing the blog, after returning to the states for a brief period.
Eight months later, I decided to bring the blog back on-line, but with comments turned off. Later I decided to turn them on with selected posts. Now, any new posts will have comments turned on. However, any hateful or mean spirited comments will be deleted. I will also delete any comment that is, in my opinion, insulting or disrespectful to the kingdom of Thailand, or His Majesty King Bhumibol Rama IX and members of the Royal Family.
I don’t mind being corrected; in fact, I encourage it, but say it nicely or don’t say it at all. For those of you that take issue with the sex trade in Thailand, RQD is not your free speech platform. Go start you own fucking blog if you want a pulpit to preach your zealot opinions!
June 15th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Hi there,
Hope this finds you well & happy.
I have actually by accident come to read your blog which is both interesting/informative especially to gay tourists who are new to Thailand.I detest whoever post hurtful comments on your blog.What makes them think they can do that to a nice guy like you providing such a good service to the gay community.
By all mean please continue with your blog with more information.You will have strong support from PLU.May god bless you.Tom
June 19th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
By the way, I am not sure what you mean by (Website as mentioned above) Website, but I enjoy reading your RQD very much. I have retired early and have been reading your blogs for over a year now and it makes me more and more wanting to move to Thailand. Incidently, thank you for all the information you have provided, and of course also for the gorgeous boys you feature too. The more I read your blog the more I know I must get to Thailand soon. I am trying for this fall, and hope to stay for a very long time. As it turns out, it appears I am able to meet all the expat criteria for a retirement visa.. I look forward to the opportunity to thank you in person. Keep up the great work.. thanks again.
yours,
Robert
June 19th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Thanks Robert…
There are a number of web sites out there that offer information about living in or visiting Thailand. Quite a few are linked to in the side bar under Gay Asia. There are also a large number of tourism sites out there, and those really tend to sugar coat things.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:38 am
It’s always very interesting to read your blog. I live(d) for 5 years in Thailand and however Thai(boys) culture is sometimes hard to understand I it’s good to have a site like this, explaining there feelings and giving ‘the boys’ the respect they earn. You doing it in words I try to do in my photography.
October 29th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Thanks for the blog and your window into a fascinating culture. Wish such insightful & sympathetic info had been around when I first went to Asia in ‘49-50.
I have lived with my Asian partner in OZ now for 33 years and though he regularly drives me up the fukkin wall, I wouldn’t change him for quids!
Hope you keep well and continue to enjoy the vitality of your surrounds. Cordially. Bob
October 30th, 2008 at 7:26 am
I enjoy reading your blog and may retire in Thailand after visiting many times. Some extra information that would be useful in general terms would be some advise about financial matters ex monthly income needed to live comfortably in Bangkok, ammounts spent on entertainment and living expenses - where is the safest place to keep your savings? Transferring funds your homeland. Thanks again for all the info and I love reading every new entry in the blog.
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 am
Hello,
With your permission I would like to link you to my blog. Drop me a line and let me know
thanks,
john
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:36 am
Hi, love your blog. Been coming to Thailand now 15 years and thought I was pretty experienced with Thai culture but your blog shows how wrong I was. I’m learning something new every time; it will make me a better person and more understanding with my Thai friends. Thank You.
I found this web site, which has all sorts of interesting out of the way, one day trips around Bangkok and thought I would share with you:
http://www.bangkok-daytrips.com/
Thanks again!
January 8th, 2009 at 5:42 am
Dear,
like most of your spectators I did find your blog by chance and I love to read it since then (sorry for my poor language abilities). Being located in cold Germany, your blog keeps me close not only to beloved Thailand but to all the nice thai boys.
Regards
Henry
January 10th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Firstly thank you for taking the time to write your blog, like others I find it entertaining, enlightening, informative and educational, as well as keeping me close to the LOS.
A subject which I don’t think you’ve covered yet feel you would cover well with your contacts is Superstitions. My TBF and his friends are very superstitious the ones I’ve learned so far are
If your not BF’s you can not share perfume, this is bad luck
Giving perfume as a gift is fine, however when one of his friends said he liked mine, and I offered it to him (it had been opened) he would only accept if I took 1 Thai baht off of him in exchange. This would keep the bad luck away.
The age of 25 is deemed to be a very unlucky year, and my BF and his friends will be happier when they are all 26!!
Are there any other?
Again thank you so much for your blog, best wishes
January 11th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Hi, well i am Thai and i am interested to read your blog to see a point of view from foreigner who live in Thailand and i think your blog is very useful and make it quite clear for some of our culture and moreover to understand our behavior, anyhow something or some believe of Thai boy that you wrote might be a little bit difference from what my friends i believe, but well i think that because all those things is also depend on which part we are from in Thailand e.g north part might believe difference from south part. or like rob said about have to give one baht to exchange that opened perfume, well i never heard about perfume but i heard about handkerchief and a reason why we have to give 1 baht or more to exchange with handkerchief because if we take it for free we will be unlucky and have a sad life..why sad life? well because we use handkerchief to clean our face and also absorb our tear when we cry because of sadness so a handkerchief is not a good gift to give at least a person who give have to accept a little money…and about when we are 25 we will have a bad luck is a true story that we believe for a long time and the way to make a bad luck away or make it softer is to go to a temple and make a merit
anyway this is quite long comment from Thai boy who want to give some point of view from Thai side 
sorry for my poor english skill it might not a good gramma because i am suck at it
ap
January 13th, 2009 at 12:51 am
ap, thanks, your english is excellent, better than my thai, i understand about the hanky, it makes sense really … thanks for replying
Rob
February 6th, 2009 at 4:39 am
I have been checking in on your website for quite some time and have found your site to be very informative.
I have been wanting to visit Thailand for some time and your site has made me want to visit even more. I have many friends who have sung Thailand’s praises and I am ready to go. Have traveled many places but Asia has been absent from my itinerary so far.
Thank you so much for all the great info on Thailand. Your website is a delight.
Thank you so much!
Kev
September 12th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Hey I love your blog and have been reading since a friend pointed it out to me. May I suggest some topics as I would like to hear your opinions on them? How about something about Songkran and Gay Pride ? There has been mention about “Farangs” in Thailand. How about other Asians like Singaporeans and Japanese in Thailand and how the Thais respond to them? I hope you won’t mind my suggestions.
March 24th, 2010 at 3:03 am
Thank you for this blogs. I love to read it. As I am Thai, I can understand indepth some Thai culture from your point of view as outsider.
June 10th, 2010 at 5:03 am
Hi. Just discovered your blog tonight and I have to say that I am fascinated by and thoroughly enjoying it. I have found myself to be very interested in Thailand after watching what I considered to be a wonderful Thai movie a few months ago (The Love Of Siam). Since then I have been searching the internet for blogs and sites that would give me a feel for what it is like to live day to day in Bangkok and what it is like interacting with Thais on a cultural and social level. So far I’ve only made it through the beginning of 2007 in your blog (I started reading from the beginning) but I love it. Please keep it up. Thanks.