Donor Fatigue and Pattaya Special Events

I may well be wrong, but it seems to me that some annual events in Boyztown are struggling. The annual dinner fundraiser events at restaurants appear to do okay with essentially the same clique of supporters, but otherwise the heavy-hitters seem to be wearing down. The same generous gents have been donating the cash prizes for boy and ladyboy contests at bars over the past few years, and the large street events raise more money than the previous year only because of a few significant size last minute donations.

Every business owner in Boyztown tells me I am wrong, but most expats when away from other expats tell me they're tired of being hit up for donations constantly.

The business owners tell me that I'm not really seeing the same routines, same emcees, same attendees, smaller crowds, and same formats year after year at this and that annual fundraiser.

Thanks expats! If I believed the business owners then I'd have to start on anti-psychotic medications right away.

I may well be wrong, but it seems to me that some annual events in Boyztown are struggling. The annual dinner fundraiser events at restaurants appear to do okay with essentially the same clique of supporters, but otherwise the heavy-hitters seem to be wearing down............................

...............The business owners tell me that I'm not really seeing the same routines, same emcees, same attendees, smaller crowds, and same formats year after year at this and that annual fundraiser.



I think that you are missing the point. I raised this subject, the last time I was visiting, with one of the regular event organizers and asked him how they expected to keep raising money when the shows, formats, routines and particularly the emcee is the same year in, year out. He stated quite categorically that they were not catering to expats or frequent visitors but were relying on fundraising from the less regular or occasional holidaymaker to Boyztown - I did say to him that I failed to see how that could generate the sort of money they undoubtedly hoped for from that sort of source.

As I see it, the problem is that the shows and events are run by a very small clique who have long since run out of ideas and to a certain extent are living on past glories. The admirable Madame Jim is a classic example - she is very good at her job but once you have seen her and her routine a couple of times it becomes boring. Complacency has set in. Let us hope that the new owners of Throb/Splash will liven the place up and provide some originality, once they have got their feet under the table.

Ooh er, i have never seen madam Jim, is he any-good, I mean for those that have never seen his routine before? Why don't they advertise here, then we can all send contributions?

[bao-bao]

What I've observed here stateside is how often well-meaning groups and organizations tend to dwindle and die. I say a lot of it has to do with what I've come to call the "Little Red Hen" syndrome. Stay with me here a minute:

In the old children's fable the little red hen finds some grain on the ground and figures it would make some nice bread. She asks the other animals for help along the way and they all turn her down, i.e. "Who will help me grind the wheat?" "Not I," said the duck - "Not I," said the cat - "Not I," said the pig. The hen always replies "OK, then I'll do it myself." When the bread is baked and ready, however, the others are all more than ready to help her eat it.

Time and time again I've been in social groups and benefit organizations where the SAME people are doing most of the work and whipping up enthusiasm in the other members until they themselves are worn out and just stop or move on. Those who are among the few who donate time, efforts, money and prizes eventually get burned out or tapped out, one or the other. It's everyone's responsibility to help the causes we believe in - and not leave it to others to do.

"Targeting" the occasional visitor or tourist for donations is a great idea, but there are certainly enough long-term residents to share the workload otherwise. BUT, those "in charge" have to be willing to ALLOW others to help, and not micro-manage.

... there are certainly enough long-term residents to share the workload otherwise. BUT, those "in charge" have to be willing to ALLOW others to help, and not micro-manage.

Your last point is well made and is something I omitted in my missive above.
The "entertainment" and fund-raising functions are all organized by bar/restaurant owners/managers and unfortunately there is not enough of them in Boyztown. It is also difficult for them to let go of control when the function is being organized on their premises.

I belive that most people are not sure of what payments go where, ie bars say the profits from drinks will go towards the fund , but nowhere is it stated the gross and net amounts which are collected from the drinks so many guys are pissed off with paying for some thing they have no way of checking

I belive that most people are not sure of what payments go where, ie bars say the profits from drinks will go towards the fund , but nowhere is it stated the gross and net amounts which are collected from the drinks so many guys are pissed off with paying for some thing they have no way of checking

My sentiments exactly

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But all the time people support these so called fund raising efforts the scams will continue.

[Dick]

De Ja Vu?

There have been a number of prominent threads on both this old/new board, Pattaygay, and Dreaded Ned, concerning the 'transparency' of profits/donations and the like in the name of charity. Problems can very quickly arise because it's easy as an anonymous poster to suggest or accuse a real or prominent owner or establishment of cooking the books. As many veterans of these boards will vouch, such issues have at times been very serious, with lawyers involved, the withdrawel of support to the PGF by prominent venues, and a lot of nastiness all round. It has even brought about the demise of at least one board... some might argue two.

However, when all was said and done, there was never ever, to my knowledge, evidence of anything other than the kind generosity of those establishments involved in the charitable event or the PGF itself. Full accounts of any charitable event were always given in the real world, not the ethernet, and available for inspection by any real person of a mind to, as are I believe the books of the charities themselves. In fact I would imagine the PGF would be very proud to hold up to scrutiny their exemplary record in achieving the substantial amounts that they have. But understandably, no commercial business in Pattaya is going to publish accounts for an event on a public board, but will have no problem with face to face genuine enquiries (so long as there isn't a queue!).

So before this thread goes any further, I would ask that we leave it here. If anyone has a genuine issue with something specific, I would ask that they take it up personally with either a representative of the PGF, or in person with the owner manager of the venue concerned. I'm sure any genuine queries you might have would be straightened out to everyone's satisfaction. If you are right minded and have the long term interests of the charities at heart, I'm hoping you'll come to agree that thinking aloud on the board in this way is not the way to go about gratifying a sense of curiosity.

[Brad the Impala]

De Ja Vu?

But understandably, no commercial business in Pattaya is going to publish accounts for an event on a public board, but will have no problem with face to face genuine enquiries (so long as there isn't a queue!).



It is hardly giving away commercial secrets, the only possible defence for commercial businesses not giving out this information, to say that we will donate 50/100 Baht from each drink/meal etc, and/or what percentage of the raffle/buy a flower/suck a cock competition.

Following the event the business could easily inform us that x amount was made from the sale of x number of drinks and whether there was any deduction for "expenses".

What's not to be public about?

[Dick]

Brad, as far as I am aware, the majority of venues if not all, take care to advertise, often in their flyer's or posters, that so much per drink or per ticket from either admission or drinks, is donated to the PGH/charity. If I recall correctly, this is a stipulation of the PGF that came about to obviate questions such as these. Yes I agree it is a good idea afterwards for the bar/restaurant to stick up a poster at their premises, saying how much was raised for the charity event. If I were the owner, I certainly would as it is not only a courtesy, it's good for business. But as I'm not resident in Pattaya, I can't say from experience whether all or some do this or not. None the less, I wouldn't expect any commercial enterprise to publish any financial information on the internet or here... It's not as if this board was some regulatory body, however deluded some former posters might have rated it.

However, I question the suggestion made earlier: 'bars say the profits from drinks will go towards the fund , but nowhere is it stated the gross and net amounts'. A commercial bar, isn't going to publicise in depth information as reflects costs that might be useful to competitors. Why should it. The charity is grateful enough to receive so much per drink/admission as stated in the advertising. If the price of the drink for the event is no different than ordinarily, it stands to reason that the donation is made from the gross profit the bar would otherwise make. Unless you have someone at the bar counting heads/counting drinks, you've got to take the bar's word on trust.

Please, lets not this aspect get too entrenched. I was hoping that the very valid point of those already involved in fundraising - allowing new blood to help, rather than micro managing themselves to the exclsion of others, might also draw constructive response