A reader asks why I haven’t written about the so-called shakedown arrests scandal that is scaring everyone away from Thailand.  I assume he is referring to the highly publicized Phuket incident involving an Australian woman, and the 3 farang men who where arrested for drug possession just outside Pattaya.

I haven’t written about these specific cases, because no matter what position I take, a hostile rebuttal is sure to follow.  It’s all being played out on the forums and I see no reason to invite it over here.  So I’ll go ahead and talk about it in general terms, but I’m not going to comment on any specific incidents, nor will I permit anyone else to.

Thailand has a system in place.  Similar systems exist in other areas of the world, but are usually not found in countries most would define as having a mature democratic society.  The system applies to everyone, NOT just visitors.

When a person breaks the law he/she usually, but not always, has the option of making restitution without enduring the rather lengthy and more costly formal process.  For minor violations, the cost of informal restitution is rather well defined.  For more serious infractions, the accused will be informed as to what is considered appropriate, but may also be asked to leave the Kingdom.  Anyone wishing to exercise their right to a more formal process is welcome to do so, but in Thailand you do not have the right to a speedy conclusion, nor should one be anticipated.  Thus, it can get very expensive.

There are those that believe accusations are often manufactured.  I have no doubt a small percentage are, BUT more likely than not it was preceded by highly inappropriate conduct on the part of the accused.  You are a guest in this country, and don’t forget it.  The attitude, shared by more than a few, that spending money here automatically guarantees them the right to behave like arrogant jerks is most definitely flawed.

These are beautiful, kind, and exceedingly friendly people, but treat them as second class citizens and you may very well find yourself on the wrong side of misery.  And when approached by an individual in a position of authority you would be wise to all but kiss his ass.  Showing ANY disrespect to a uniformed officer is just begging for a very unpleasant stay in the Land of Smiles.

A couple of years ago I was approached by an officer in a public park and firmly told to put my cigarette out.  At that time I didn’t know it was illegal to smoke in a public park. I immediately complied with his demand and told him I was sorry.  I did not receive a ticket, and was not asked to make informal restitution.  A friend had a similar experience.  The only difference with him was the cop then bummed a cigarette.

Don’t put too much stake in the spin people give these isolated incidents that go public.  All too often there is more to the story than meets the eye.  I truly believe that people who find themselves in these situations went asking for it.  For those that want to break the law, enjoy behaving like an animal, are a mean and/or obnoxious drunk, or have issues with authority figures, I strongly suggest you either bring lots of extra money or stay home.

This is a VERY sensitive subject, so those wishing to comment should choose their words carefully or I’ll delete them.

For you Americans out there - Happy 4th of July!

A friend just sent me this, and I had to share it.  How many times have we seen the boys wearing similar?

Source: MotiFake

An American friend and I went with a couple of boys to Siam Park City amusement park last Saturday.  None of us had been to the park, and for the boys it was their first amusement park ever.

The main reason I’m writing about this is to share with you an observation my friend and I made.  From a very young age, both of us grew up going to amusement parks, so the fun in all of this was watching the boys (20 and 26) experience it for the first time in their lives.  They had never stood next to, let alone ride, a roller coaster before, and this park has two of them.

Up until now, the only thing these guys had been on was the occasional small rides set up in the Korat shopping mall.  Walking into a fantasy world with so many attractions it requires the better part of a day to take everything in was an experience of a lifetime.  Imagine their excitement when I take them to Dream World for their first time experience in snow!

Both of us farang considered the theme park attractions a bit silly. After taking in places like Disney World it’s difficult to appreciate something as low budget as we did at this park.  The boys, on the other hand, loved it, so there you go.

The cornerstone of this facility is its water park, boasting the largest wave pool in the world.  It is clearly the bread and butter money maker for the entire complex, and the least expensive if you steer clear of the amusement and theme parks. Arrive at 10 in the morning, when the park opens, and there is enough time to take all three in, but we elected to save the water park for another day.

We got there when the park opened with the idea of taking in a lot of rides before the crowds got there.  As it turns out, attendance was light enough there where no lines at the rides all day.  On top of that, most rides don’t start operating before 11.  Assuming this was a typical Saturday for the park, I’d plan on arriving a little later, so the boys don’t have to get up so early in the morning.  Not that it would make too much difference, as the boys were so excited they couldn’t sleep the night before.

The other reason I’m writing this is to bring everyone up to date on the status of the park.  After experiencing two tragic accidents, within a span of a few months in late 2007 and early 2008, much has changed.  First, and foremost, the park is now owned by Dream World, the only other large amusement park of this type in Thailand.

My friend has quite a bit of expertise when it comes to amusement parks and the rides.  He was able to point out a number of changes being made that might not be obvious to the novice, like myself.  Even so, it was evident they’ve been making strides in the right direction.

The new owners have come in and resorted to a safe condition most of the rides in the park.  The rest have been shut down, or completely removed, including a ride that resulted in one death and several others injured.

At the same time they’ve started adding attractions.  There are seven new rides, including a roller coaster.  Two have opened, and the others are in various stages of construction.  According to my friend most, if not all, have been purchased new from a European ride manufacturer with an impeccable safety record.  He told me these rides have so many redundant safety features built in even the most negligent of operators would most likely never have a problem.

With a couple of exceptions, everything has a bit of a run down look and lacks attractive landscaping.  This is no surprise considering the budget has been focused on upgrading existing rides and adding new ones.  That said, I was disappointed to see no effort at all being made to shield the public from hazardous construction areas.  I also discovered that exiting one ride (Twin Dragon) was a bit precarious.  Actually, if we had climbed out of the ride on the opposite side we got in it wouldn’t have been a problem, but no one was there making sure that happened.

If you live here, or will be visiting for more than a couple of weeks, taking in one of the two BKK amusement parks is a excellent alternative to sitting in a bar with your favorite boy.  Take him, along with one or two of his friends, and you’ll have a fun and rewarding day.

Don’t forget the camera, and some sort of a small bag to hold phones, wallets, jewelry, sun glasses and anything else that can fly off while riding the roller coasters.  This assumes one person stays on the ground while the others ride.  Guess who was the bag man on our day at the park?  I don’t do roller coasters.

SIDEBAR

The boys call amusement park rides “toys”.

According to the information I received last night from several sources, the Classic Boys GoGo Bar in BKK Soi Twilight caught fire around 5pm Saturday evening.  According to the boys it started on the second or third floor and was caused by an electrical problem.  As far as I know there were no injuries or fatalities from the fire.

One of the boys had a video of it on his cell phone.  There was a large plume of smoke coming from the bar, and you could even see a slight orange glow.  It appears the fire was contained to the upper floors that are used for, among other things, sleeping quarters for the boys.  A friend and I took a peek inside the place and observed extensive water damage to the first floor.

We got two different answers on how soon the bar plans to reopen, one week and one month.  I have no idea which is accurate.  Most, if not all, the boys have temporarily relocated to the neighboring X Size Bar.  I popped in for a drink and only spotted two familiar Classic Boys faces.  We were told several of the boys had gone home for the night.

In discussions with many farang acquaintances, I’ve discovered a fair number do not make use of the water spray nozzle, found with most western style toilets in Thailand.  I personally think its one of the greatest things since indoor plumbing, and don’t know what I’ll do if forced to live in a country without them.  Actually, I know what I’d do, but would greatly miss the use of this wonderful toilet accessory.

I realize they don’t come with instructions, and it’s not necessarily a comfortable topic of conversation for those wishing to get verbal instructions, but with a little practice anyone can master it on their own.

So I thought it might be interesting and fun to conduct an informal survey on the subject…

Do you make use of the spray nozzle, for its intended purpose?

If not, why?

For those that use it, did you seek out instructions, or jump in with both hands and master the rinse cycle on your own?

Do you prefer high water pressure or low?

For those using it, has your technique evolved over time?

What other uses have you found for this convenient water dispenser?

With the exception of a photo I stumbled across of a Thai boy using one, I learned through trial and error.  Over time I’ve learned that standing up slightly makes it a little easier to get both hands down there, before sitting back down again and beginning the final step.  Even though many say “That’s what underwear is for” I use tissue to dry off.  I prefer a high water pressure, something lacking in my home facility.  Of course, I use the nozzle for many other things, such as cleaning tasks, filling a bucket and rinsing the pee off the floor that most of the boys leave behind.

Today the BF was taking a shower and another boy went into the laundry room for something.  The laundry room used to be a balcony that was later built out into a separate room, so there is a window between it and the bathroom.  When the boy entered the laundry room, my BF started making a fuss about his privacy, so I went in and started teasing that I could see him naked.

Photo Courtesy of Private Boy Movie

He said, “No, have to pay.”  I said, “I can look for free.”  He said, “No, pay for the world.”  I said, “I have special privilege for look free.”  He said, “You pay later.”  I responded with, “OH! That is SO true!” The other boy busted out laughing, which surprised me, because his English skills are not that great.

I want to call your attention to a blog I just discovered.  If you don’t know about it already, I highly recommend giving it a read.  I’ve not read all his posts yet, but can already see from those I have that this is a kind hearted gentleman with a good understanding of how to interact with the boys.  He is firm but fair, and does not spoil them.  For this he is both respected and adored.

I particularly like the story he tells about borrowing 500 baht from a farang when he came up short for the evening.  The boys he was with found out about it and were insulted he had not thought to ask them.  Stories like this are priceless.

Doug is the kind of guy that brings out the best in the boys, and for it he is greatly rewarded.

Photo Courtesy of Private Boy Movie

I’ve just added a new page that talks about the various products and methods I’ve discovered to combat mold infestation.  Not just in the toilet area.  This page is mostly about preventing mold on leather, cloth and canvas items, such as hand bags and luggage.

Don’t believe what you hear in the news.  Everything is fine here.  Some think this one will be more intense than in the past, but I’m not convinced of that, at this point.  I’m expecting the usual posturing, but not much more.  Regardless, farang are left out of it if they stay out of it.  Current expectations are the airports will be left alone this time.

Something that’s been on my mind lately is the real possibility some RQD readers think I’ve got all these things I talk about nailed down and never screw them up.  That’s not the case at all.  I mess up all the time.  Its one thing to know the what, why and how, and another to actually put them in practice.

Photo Courtesy of Asia Boy

The greatest moment for me was when I achieved enough understanding to recognize, usually the next day, that I’d screwed something up.  Prior to that I was completely oblivious to the mistakes I was making.  It didn’t change the fact I was then, and now, handling situations wrong at times.  And, of course, there are still things I don’t know or understand.

The longer I live here, the better I get at it, because over time it becomes more second nature.  Recently I had a wonderful visit over lunch with one of the RQD readers, and he said the same thing.  Even though you know how to do it, your cultural imprinting often dominates the situation and some boy’s feelings ends up getting hurt.

I’ve begun to realize that part of the reason I write this blog is, for lack of a better way of saying it, good therapy.  It’s a way of reminding me how things should be done.

Don’t get frustrated when you get it wrong sometimes.  Instead, rejoice in the recognition of your mistakes.  Then, at least, you can make amends.