Bangkok Pride donations

[Brad the Impala]

Apart from the River Cruise, the amounts raised seem derisory.

[krobbie]

Is thank goodness for the river cruise event. I guess the bars only had a few people in them for each event????????

[TrongpaiExpat]

It's hard to tell from all the funny book cooking accounting that's common with Pride but I think the money collected was from a pass the hat type donations rather than business sponsor donations. The river cruise was donated, so I guess all the collected money for the dinner went to donations, or most of it?

I noticed that most everyone put someting in the donation boxes but it was mostly full of 20's, not a lot of larger bills.

Most of the venues that sponsored or held events must have made money. Of course they can have theme parties all the time and take in money, it's a business. I guess some of the profit went to donations? I don't expect a clear answer.

[TrongpaiExpat]

If bars are using the 'pride' name to pull customers in they should be donating the extra profits to the organisation whose name they are using, or not get involved.

Yes, of course that's reasonable. You expect an accurate accounting?

I think that you have to ask "What is the purpose of Pride?". Bangkok Pride has never raised much money for charities and maybe they don't see that as an objective.

If the aim is for everyone to have fun and party and the venues to make some money then that's also fine. Profit is not a dirty word in my vocabulary and often the venues spend a lot of organizing shows and competitions.

Phuket Pride as far as I know does not raise major amounts for charities but everyone seems to have fun.

Pattaya has gone the charity route and very well done to Madam Jim, the committee, and the regular givers for raising splendid amounts for splendid causes.

One should also remember that not all the events were BGP sponsored>

"Dear Balcony Member,
A quick note to let you know that our photos from Bangkok Pride Festival 2007 are now on line at http://www.balconypub.com/gallery.html
There is one new gallery for the Isaan Party and another for the other Pride events .
Our charity collection on the night of the Isaan Party received Baht 8245. Regular customers will remember that we handed out a questionairre in October asking you which charities you would like your donations to support. In accordance with the results of that poll the funds have been distributed as follows:

The AIDS Temple: Baht 4667
SWING Baht 1867
Rainbow Sky Baht 1711
Total: Baht 8245

On checking the accounts of Pride Festival 2006 we find that the total sum raised in the 2007 collection was an increase of Baht 2410 on last year's Isaan Party collection which raised Baht 5835.
Thank you to everyone who donated.
Best Regards

The Management & Staff
The Balcony
86-88 Silom Soi 4
Bangkok 10500"

The figures given by Dragoncastle are very misleading. That memo from Balcony clearly shows that 8245 was collected тАУ Dragoncastle has that down as 3578. The discrepancy is the sum donated to the AIDS Temple.

All the Soi 4 bars have had functions and given to the AIDS Temple throughout this year and I remember that TelephoneтАЩs news letter a month or so ago said that they had taken over 130,000 Baht to the Temple in July and more will be going later in the year.

For the Pride week parties I was at in Soi 4 the presenter announced several times that the collection was for the AIDS Temple and the Pride Charities. So itтАЩs obvious that the total charity sum collected in Soi 4 was much greater than that given credit for by Dragoncastle.

Fattman, since you are obviously 'In The Know' ... Two other discrepancies in the Dragoncastle report need clarification:

1. What were the Pride Charity donations from: the Coyote Mexican Dinner; the Bed-Supper Club Party; The DickтАЩs Caf├й Party; The Hamiltons Karaoke Night; the Wyndham Thai Restaurant Dinner and The Rachada Soi 8 Pub party. If these places have given nothing then itтАЩs very unfair of Fattman to single out the Soi 4 bars for his acerbic comments since the Soi 4 bars have given not only to the Pride charities but also to the AIDS Temple.

and

2. If you examine the figures for the Pride Bash in Soi 2/1, I read somewhere that there were over 300 people at the party. If they all paid the 100 Baht entrance fee then over 30,000 Baht should have been collected. There was also sponsorship from Heineken and others тАУ whereтАЩs that money reported? Dragoncastle says the whole event raised 10,000 Baht тАУ whereтАЩs the rest gone????