The Moorish Castle: Princess's Playpen? Moviestar's Mansion?

There is a notice somewhere saying that it is some sort of 'research institute'. Very curious. Where is 007 when you want him?

The whole complex is quite large, spreading across between sois 11 and 13, and down to the botom of soi 11. Towards the bottom end of the complex are some some very fancy homes, one of which played host to a royal princess visitor a while back. ( i know that because soi 13 was blocked of by police cars, and when i asked one of the policemen why, he told me.

The sign at the main entrance said Cyber Research Centre, but has recently been expanded by the addition of Pacific World (Pattaya Branch) and Tui. Rumour has it that the biuldings host a call and computer centre for one of the web hotel booking agencies.

When the tall build was being constructed there was a building permit on the wall that said it was a hotel.

Shows up well on the latest google earth pictures.

[krobbie]

... that it's Rainwalker's own home. The security is not to keep us out but ....

or maybe it was just a rumour?

I do recall her descibing it in a thread though, I'm almost sure.
:cheers:

Guys.


It's the new Pattaya Gay old peoples home complete with gun turrets to stop people sneaking out to the Beach or Sunnee Plaza.

All male nurses are Burmese bodybuilders, [ with work permits!] and Wowpow has applied for the job as Matron!

For those who, like me, did not know the exact meaning of the word

cyber-
a combining form meaning тАЬcomputer,тАЭ тАЬcomputer network,тАЭ or тАЬvirtual reality,тАЭ used in the formation of compound words (cybertalk; cyberart; cyberspace) and by extension meaning тАЬvery modernтАЭ (cyberfashion).
[Origin: extracted from cybernetics]
www.dictionary.com (http://www.dictionary.com)

Guys.


It's the new Pattaya Gay old peoples home complete with gun turrets to stop people sneaking out to the Beach or Sunnee Plaza.

All male nurses are Burmese bodybuilders, [ with work permits!] and Wowpow has applied for the job as Matron!

Now that Kevin, is the most believable story I have heard or seen about this place yet. http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u152/GeorgeThai/biglaugh.gif


George.

It's the HQ for Asiarooms.com, recently taken over by Tui, the german travel company

Must rate as one of the most hideous buildings in town. That wall near it does not help either.

And indeed, here is the official confirmation

http://www.asiarooms.com/about-us/

It's obviously the understated holiday home of the closet Putty Yainian, Sultan Sayyed Qaboos bin SaтАЩid Al тАШBu SaтАЩid
, he is partial to bit of rough trade and has I have been told almost completely drained the offerings that that little country Pakistan used to provide.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/rainwalker99/CIMG0162.jpg
From Soi 9[/quote]

[krobbie]

And indeed, here is the official confirmation

http://www.asiarooms.com/about-us/

You are so industrious to find this information. I had to read the whole damn thing though until I got to the very bottom address.

Rather large for an office but maybe they have particularly large desks?

Krobbie that's an address in Singapore?

Krobbie that's an address in Singapore?

Call Center:
391/80 Moo 10, Tappraya Road,
Soi Tappraya 11,
Nongpure, Banglamung
Chonburi 20150
Kingdom of Thailand

Call Center:
391/80 Moo 10, Tappraya Road,
Soi Tappraya 11,
Nongpure, Banglamung
Chonburi 20150
Kingdom of Thailand

And?

And what? That's the address of the Moorish Castle, from the asiarooms website, numb nuts!

And what? That's the address of the Moorish Castle, from the asiarooms website, numb nuts!

Obviously a front. Yeenie arse

Funny how people will condemn the architectural merit of any new building. I thought that this one was well above the Pattaya average - not that that is saying very much.

Now we have two Tui's Places in Pattaya!

I think Moorish architecture is wonderful...in Spain or northern Africa. But in Pattaya? It's just like those ridiculous "Balinese" villas they try to flog down there. Wonderful in Bali, silly elsewhere.

Funny how people will condemn the architectural merit of any new building. I thought that this one was well above the Pattaya average - not that that is saying very much.

Now we have two Tui's Places in Pattaya!


I knew it,

Matron wowpow straight to the defence of the new hospital, The principal must be watching the thread!

Hi wowpow, "Topic Twister" here, my computer is repaired!

[krobbie]

Krobbie that's an address in Singapore?

... what was that Cedric? (see above post by GF). That is the last address on the sight.

Is Chon Buri not in Pattaya anymore?

Cheers
krobbie

[jinks]

Is Chon Buri not in Pattaya anymore?



NO ........ Pattaya is in Chon Buri :)

How on Earth can you defend such an ugly building? Perhaps the view is better from our 'geezer beds' inside, when we retire to that 'home'.
Outside, resembles a wedding cake, no?

A agree that it does not have the charm of Center Condo or the charming views from the Avenue multi-story car park.

Whilst it has a long way to go to challenge the Alhambra I find it an amusing pastiche of Moorish architecture - note the mini domes on the roofs.

For those who do not like it, kindly name the top 10 architectural gems of Pattaya for me other than temples.

A agree that it does not have the charm of Center Condo or the charming views from the Avenue multi-story car park.

Whilst it has a long way to go to challenge the Alhambra I find it an amusing pastiche of Moorish architecture - note the mini domes on the roofs.

For those who do not like it, kindly name the top 10 architectural gems of Pattaya for me other than temples.

Wowpow is cute, in this instance Edith is completely wrong. Yes name them?

A agree that it does not have the charm of Center Condo or the charming views from the Avenue multi-story car park.

Whilst it has a long way to go to challenge the Alhambra I find it an amusing pastiche of Moorish architecture - note the mini domes on the roofs.

For those who do not like it, kindly name the top 10 architectural gems of Pattaya for me other than temples.


Pattaya Police Station Soi 9.......................you see..........or sea............its Location...Location and bang on the beach!

That fantastic Ranchero organized on Sukhumvit Road in light blue and pink,the one that goes on forever! by the guy who made all his money out of chickens.

The Regents school at the gateway to Pattaya, drifting a little to European design but in a good setting.

XZte Disco on Third Road. A true architectural masterpiece way ahead of its time.

The Golden Cliff Hotel. It just shows you what can be done with careful planning and management working hand in hand.

Tesco Lotus.[ North Pattaya.] A truly innovative idea, with the City father planners working overtime on this one.

The Tourist Police Station. Now this one, a real gem, quietly nestling in the hills on the way to Pratumnak amidst beautiful landscaped Gardens and fitting in to its surroundings so perfectly.......No one goes there, because they can't find it!

Pattaya Provincial Courts. A proud imposing building, on the main road to Jomtien, slightly set back so as not to intimidate, and not occupying too much [space,] as we know it is a precious commodity in this neck of the woods.

The Royal Garden centre, neatly portrayed in the city centre, with a reminder of the twin towers for everyone to view.

AND ............THE CLEAR WINNER BY A MILE

Martin Frutin's Palace.[ Marfru's Palace is the affectionate name given to it by the owner!] sitting proudly in the shadow of the Big Buddha and bringing in famous designers from around the World, it just shows you with fore thought, planning and serious effort just what can be achieved. Pratumnak will never be the same again.

Pure unashamed class, A gem that Pattaya is rightly proud of!

York Minster has got nothing on this place..nothing!

[Geezer]

A gay message board is the last place I expected to find such a congregation of stuffed-shirt mossbacks. Have you never daydreamed of living in a tree-house? Of building a house in the middle of a river on an abandoned bridge pier? Of inviting scores of your friends and their boys for a weekend at your home in the Neuschwanstein castle?

Set your imagination free. Encourage the whimsical and fanciful thoughts. Were you weaned on a pickle?

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

over a (very long) lunch is that it was built by an Asian property developer as his home but he subsequntly went bust.

More recently I heard that kquill had been inspecting it as the perfect place for his new boutique gay hotel..which would be sensible as let's face it-have you ever met a queen with taste ??. ( not kquill of course-his potential customers)

Now kquill tells us it may become Martin's Fruit Palace..but it's bit far for the weekend vegie and fruit shopping.

I like the idea that it may become the BeeBop A Lulu retirement home for aging gays and a combined cyber experimental facility as well.

by the way-I hope everyone realises that fence is electrified.

I like the idea that it may become the BeeBop A Lulu retirement home for aging gays and a combined cyber experimental facility as well.

I always thought it was 'beebop a lula'. Anyone know for sure? HEY, I'm serious.

Were you weaned on a pickle?

:laughing5: Neuschwanstein is just up my street, it even has double glazing, uber practisch, with plenty of access for the magnificent and whimsical Oberlander, only the beds are ludicrously small and single.
It was on those very ramparts that I gave away my childhood sweet heart to her dark and brooding princely Bavarian lover in the middle of a winter wonderland. I never looked back.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

'beebop a lula'..that is entirely correct.

you would think I would know having started a small record label called
Beebop a Lula Boom Crash Boom Records 35 years ago with a UK government grant .

maybe that's why we went bust within 12 months.

I wasn't being critical, just curious who was right. Cheers.

fatman - It's called Sukhawadee and was built by a billionaire who made his money from farming chickens ( thus the giant chicken by the entrance ) and then squandered it on this Disney Versailles of mind boggling lavishness. It is open to the public daily I think.

See some photos on http://picasaweb.google.com/wowpow2002/ ... ttractions (http://picasaweb.google.com/wowpow2002/ThailandPattayaExtremeCityAndNearbyAttractions)

It is worth a visit. There are many reproductions of greek statues though the nudes all wear veils to cover their naughty bits. Famous paintings are reproduced in enlarged form - floor to ceiling Mona Lisa!. There are many religions here with Buddhist, Hundu and Christian statues and paintings. One hall has it's vast walls enhanced with trailing garlands of plastic fruit which are quite interesting and one of the few things that are not gilded.

The gardens have some charm and the whole place is right on the beach.

If this sort of thing is your bag then try Wat Yan, Viharasien Temples which has astonishing Chinese decorations and magnificent huge bronzes by the score - photo also at the site above.

Never mind security guards, it now has two arab terrorists guarding the entrance. A most scary sight leaving Sansuk late at night.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

It's obviously the understated holiday home of the closet Putty Yainian, Sultan Sayyed Qaboos bin SaтАЩid Al тАШBu SaтАЩid
, he is partial to bit of rough trade and has I have been told almost completely drained the offerings that that little country Pakistan used to provide.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/rainwalker99/CIMG0162.jpg
From Soi 9[/quote]

Now I spent a celibate 3 months in Oman and the beloved Sultan does bat for the other team as his angry sister keeps claiming but I always thought that blonde American (male) models were his particular taste.

This building really looks like something a used car dealer in Manchester would build. Or the Duchess of York.

... but I always thought that blonde American (male) models were his particular tasteThere were a few former Guardsmen in the security detail whenever I've been staying with HH; he told me he likes to mix'n'match

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

You know his equerry and the man who helped the Sultan overthrow his father died recently in the UK where he had retired to a magnificent sprawling estate in Bedforshire.

Brigadier Langdon was the Sultan's closet friend at the British military school where his father sent him hoping he would be out of the way-but Langdon plotted with Qaboos to overthrow the old Sultan

The dad locked up Qaboos in the palace when he returned to Oman and the only visitor he allowed was Brigadier Langdon who walked into the dad's bedroom one day and said.."by the way we are taking over..this is a coup". The old Sultan pulled out a pistol but only managed to shoot himself in the foot-he was then rushed to a British Air Force jet, flown to London and installed at the Dorchestor where he lived for the rest of his life.

He was a bit of a nutter as well..they once dug up a big hole in the dessert where he said he had buried treasure and they found 6 brand new Cadillacs and 2 Rolls Royces..mad as a hatter !

Langdon had his own palace in Muscat almost as big as Sultan Qaboos's and each birthday for the rest of his life was given one million pounds as a birthday present !!

Love Arabs..so loyal !!

[thrillbill]

I think Moorish architecture is wonderful...in Spain or northern Africa. But in Pattaya? It's just like those ridiculous "Balinese" villas they try to flog down there. Wonderful in Bali, silly elsewhere.
__________________________________________________ _______

I agree with Gomez, the building's design is well done with detail and not of a "Disney" fake. It certainly reminds me of when I visited Marakesh, Morroco. Too bad the place is cramped onto a postage stamp of land...with all of that expense, you think they would have bought a larger parcel of land. The problem is...it does stick out like a sore thumb since most buildings in Pattaya are of a cheap design.

:cyclopsani: If AsiaRooms did have it built, why would they choose a Marakesh design over something that is more "Asian"?

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

I think Moorish architecture is wonderful...in Spain or northern Africa. But in Pattaya? It's just like those ridiculous "Balinese" villas they try to flog down there. Wonderful in Bali, silly elsewhere.
__________________________________________________ _______

I agree with Gomez, the building's design is well done with detail and not of a "Disney" fake. It certainly reminds me of when I visited Marakesh, Morroco. Too bad the place is cramped onto a postage stamp of land...with all of that expense, you think they would have bought a larger parcel of land. The problem is...it does stick out like a sore thumb since most buildings in Pattaya are of a cheap design.

:cyclopsani: If AsiaRooms did have it built, why would they choose a Marakesh design over something that is more "Asian"?

Actually the style is fine but the proportions seem to be a bit skewy to me !

[TrongpaiExpat]

I think Moorish architecture is wonderful...in Spain or northern Africa. But in Pattaya? It's just like those ridiculous "Balinese" villas they try to flog down there. Wonderful in Bali, silly elsewhere.
__________________________________________________ _______

I agree with Gomez, the building's design is well done with detail and not of a "Disney" fake. It certainly reminds me of when I visited Marakesh, Morroco. Too bad the place is cramped onto a postage stamp of land...with all of that expense, you think they would have bought a larger parcel of land. The problem is...it does stick out like a sore thumb since most buildings in Pattaya are of a cheap design.

:cyclopsani: If AsiaRooms did have it built, why would they choose a Marakesh design over something that is more "Asian"?

My my, Mr. Gomez Fong where ever did he go? :geek:

Now I spent a celibate 3 months in Oman and the beloved Sultan does bat for the other team as his angry sister keeps claiming but I always thought that blonde American (male) models were his particular taste.

....You know his equerry and the man who helped the Sultan overthrow his father died recently in the UK where he had retired to a magnificent sprawling estate in Bedforshire. Brigadier Langdon was the Sultan's closet friend at the British military school where his father sent him hoping he would be out of the way-but Langdon plotted with Qaboos to overthrow the old Sultan

Nearly there, Out to Lunch. Keep trying.

Tim Landon actually died well over a year ago.

The only "British military school" is Welbeck College, which neither of them attended - what you mean is the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.


.... he is partial to bit of rough trade and has I have been told almost completely drained the offerings that that little country Pakistan used to provide

Sultan Qaboos is hardly "closet" - he is often accompanied by a number of the Royal Guard, whose red berets are matched by their red lipstick, and whose function is obvious. When visiting Salalah his entourage were widely known to "pick up" new recruits for him waiting by the roadside.

"rough trade" is not his idea of fun. The connection with Pakistan eludes me - the only connection I can imagine is to Baluchistan, from where Oman had traditionally recruited three battalions of infantry, although the recruitment stopped twenty years ago when they went on a brief strike for equal pay.


There were a few former Guardsmen in the security detail whenever I've been staying with HH; he told me he likes to mix'n'match

His "security detail" is made up entirely of SSF (Sultan's Special Forces), who are Dhofaris based at Zeek; a few Royal Guard are there largely for decorative purposes. Not a "former Guardsmen" amongst them.

This board never ceases to amaze me.

Not so long ago the untimely death of a Pattaya bar-boy was announced here - sad, as any death is, it was questionable whether his being described as
"a remarkable young man" by someone who had never met him was justified based on a nice smile and a reportedly pleasant personality. Yet when it was questioned, even mildly, it resulted in condemnation and censure.

Now, when the death of a man who was the guiding hand and advisor behind the transformation of a country from a feudal state with only one hospital and three schools, where radios and TVs were banned, who went on to become one of the richest men in Britain worth 500 million pounds or more, is mentioned and he is described (totally incorrectly) as the "closet friend" of Sultan Qaboos and it is implied that he was nothing more than a very highly paid rent-boy, it is somehow perfectly acceptable?

Amazing.

For the record (as many of the stories about Tim Landon are apocryphal, at best):

Although Tim Landon and Sultan Qaboos graduated from RMAS in the same year (1960) they were in different intakes and it is very unlikely they ever met before he was posted to Oman to take part in the Dhofar campaign.

At the time of the coup he and Sultan Qaboos were in a house near the palace. It was Sheikh Braik Al Ghafri and Major Spike Powell (British Army) "who walked into the dad's bedroom one day", and Lt Colonel Edward Turnill (also British Army) who gave his father the letter of abdication to sign, before Captain Tim Landon then escorted Sultan Qaboos into the palace.

Although nicknamed "the White Sultan" Tim Landon never had a "palace in Muscat almost as big as Sultan Qaboos's" (altough it was pretty impressive) and he actually only stayed in Oman for nine years after the coup, before retiring to an Omani diplomatic post in London in 1979 (he had been given Omani nationality) and to his "magnificent sprawling estate" at Faccombe in Hampshire, not Bedforshire. He was subsequently involved in a number of highly lucrative oil deals, mainly involving Omani oil and South Africa and Rhodesia, as well as some highly questionable arms deals.

There has never been any suggestion that Tim Landon was gay, in or out of the closet, even among his fellow expat military in Oman who would usually be aware of any rumours of this nature; he married an Austro-Hungarian princess in 1977, and has a son (who would probably not be too impressed by Out to Lunch's post).


Fattman (if you are still there!),

I'll bet your bf wishes his grandmother had not sold that land to the late Lek Viriyaphant, who made his billions as owner of Thonburi Automobile (the sole agent for Mercedes Benz in Thailand) and Viriya Insurance. As the small piece of land next door was sold for around 120 million baht 5 years ago, her land would now be worth a cool billion plus!

The walled low rise complex next to the "Moorish Castle" is the home of AsiaRooms (aka Tui): there is a sign for Tui next to the front door. However the "Moorish Castle" is not connected (literally or figuratively) to the low rise building and is the private home of a farang and his male partner and their staff. A Thai man who works for the construction company that built it told me about this today.

[colmx]

Its Heddas's house! :blackeye:

[thrillbill]

The walled low rise complex next to the "Moorish Castle" is the home of AsiaRooms (aka Tui): there is a sign for Tui next to the front door. However the "Moorish Castle" is not connected (literally or figuratively) to the low rise building and is the private home of a farang and his male partner and their staff. A Thai man who works for the construction company that built it told me about this today.
__________________________________________________ _______________

..."homeof a farang and his male paratner and their staff." -MMMMMMMMMM, that get's my imagination going. When is there an open invite to a party a there?

..."homeof a farang and his male paratner and their staff." -MMMMMMMMMM, that get's my imagination going. When is there an open invite to a party a there?What are you suggesting - that the "staff" are also available for the odd fumble?

The walled low rise complex next to the "Moorish Castle" is the home of AsiaRooms (aka Tui): there is a sign for Tui next to the front door. However the "Moorish Castle" is not connected (literally or figuratively) to the low rise building and is the private home of a farang and his male partner and their staff.

I am not sure you are right about that. They are patrolled by the same security guards, share the same emergency generator for power cuts, and when the large building was being constructed, the planing permission was for a hotel.

[1PR4BKK]

I think Moorish architecture is wonderful...in Spain or northern Africa. But in Pattaya? It's just like those ridiculous "Balinese" villas they try to flog down there. Wonderful in Bali, silly elsewhere.
__________________________________________________ _______

I agree with Gomez, the building's design is well done with detail and not of a "Disney" fake. It certainly reminds me of when I visited Marakesh, Morroco. Too bad the place is cramped onto a postage stamp of land...with all of that expense, you think they would have bought a larger parcel of land. The problem is...it does stick out like a sore thumb since most buildings in Pattaya are of a cheap design.

:cyclopsani: If AsiaRooms did have it built, why would they choose a Marakesh design over something that is more "Asian"?

OMG ThrillBill, my lover and I drove past this place before and it made me think of my days in Marrakesh, Morocco as well. Although this building seemed out of place in this particular area, I still found it fascinating. When we stopped along the back road so I could take photos of the architecture, security guards quickly appeared and demanded that we do not take any more photos. I smiled and asked what kind of business it was but he conveniently developed English and Thai amnesia. With that kind of security I imagined that it may be the home of some royal or wealthy Arab or other Middle Eastern national and his entourage.

My lover and I also asked some of the surrounding businesses if they knew what kind of business was housed in the building or if it was a residence. I was amazed that none of them knew who their neighbors were. Living or working so close to such a large structure would make me wonder who lived there or what kind of business was taking place there.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

how spooky that this thread gets revived and we read messages from dear old Wowpow who is now with Buddha !

And the hotel (?) section now has a name - El Medina in red lights

[krobbie]

And the hotel (?) section now has a name - El Medina in red lights
Oh oh. It's beginning to have less class with each post. Red lights.

Agree LOB re: Wowpow but good to read his words. Not forgotten as long as there are snippets of him about. Also his photo's.

krobbie

how spooky that this thread gets revived and we read messages from dear old Wowpow who is now with Buddha !

Wowpow? Has he passed away? :pri: :cwm10: :cwm10: :cwm10: Anyone else planning on dying? :cwm10:

how spooky that this thread gets revived and we read messages from dear old Wowpow who is now with Buddha !

Wowpow? Has he passed away? :pri: :cwm10: :cwm10: :cwm10: Anyone else planning on dying? :cwm10:

The man who started this thread I should think, after all his dirty washing has been hung out on the line? :blackeye:

http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... 16321.html (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/where-s-rainwalker-t16321.html)