Here are my thoughts on the various Thailand on-line discussion forums out there, particularly those targeting gays.

Over the years I’ve come to the conclusion discussion forums, of any topic, have value.  Most come with their share of drama, and that increases dramatically when you put a bunch of queens together in one room.  While many of us would prefer a drama free environment, the hard truth is they probably wouldn’t survive without it, particularly the gay forums.

I used to be an active participant in forums, but now find it more comfortable to just lurk.  These places tend to be very cliquish, and interactive participation in them is much akin to a contact sport.  The only time I ever post is when I’ve got a question about something, but jumping in on other discussions just isn’t my thing any more.

I’ve certainly learned a lot from the forums, and do find some of the discussions interesting, if not entertaining, reading.  Those little nuggets of golden insight are there; if you are willing to spend time separating the wheat form the chaff.

I know many people are put off by all the negative and even jaded attitudes that seem to dominate the gay Thailand forums.  What might surprise some to learn is a lot of those participants are not actually living in Thailand. One might speculate their attitudes are driven more by frustration than anything else.  In my opinion, the cynical attitudes of those living here, particularly as it relates to the boys, is a product of their own making.  I sometimes wonder why some of these guys haven’t packed up and moved on, but I guess things aren’t really as bad for them as they try and paint it.

I’ve tried to identify as many of these forums as I can find.  I have no doubt there are still some out there I’ve missed.  With the exception of one, the forums I do know about are listed in the sidebar, under “Gay Thailand”.  ThaiVisa.com is also listed under “Thai Visa”, and has a fairly drama free gay sub forum that’s worth checking out.

My favorite is the Sawatdee Gay Thailand Forum.  This is no slight on the others out there.  It’s just that the amount of time I’m willing to dedicate to forum lurking dictates I select one, and Sawatdee Gay Thailand appears to be the largest and most popular of the bunch.

The nice thing about forums, for those that want to express their opinions and share insights, is you don’t need to establish and feed a long-term project like a blog.  The downside to them is you risk getting beaten about the head and shoulders for doing so.