-
Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Members,
This site is officially for sale.
I bought this site to take it away from Neal. I don't have any technical background and I'm not interested in learning this sort of stuff this late in life. I thought I could keep the site based on a little assistance from friends, but the assistance has not be reliable enough to meet the basic needs of the membership.
I bought this site from Neal for $ 7 000 and have invested considerably more than that to bring it from where it was back in 2012. I will sell it for no less than $ 3 500 USD.
The traffic figures are very good, for what this site is. The history goes back here at least 15 years, the membership of approximately 750 active members appear to be active at least once a year, if not considerably more. The site will come with the WP Pro package, including the ability to add sites to the Network and provide all optional WP Pro bells and whistles. It will also include the Bangkokbois archives and the ability to reactivate that site. You will need to move this site to another server, I will be divesting in our server as well.
If you are interested, please send me a PM.
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Surfcrest: Overall I think your tenure has been good for the board and membership. I am sure you'll find a buyer within a reasonable time.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I agree with Arsenal (!) - we are indebted to Surfy for rescuing the board from the clutches of a tyrant.
I have even less technical ability than Surfy claims to have, so it's not for me - but I hope a white knight can be found.
:ymparty:
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surfcrest
This site is officially for sale.
Do you take bitcoin?
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I dunno about Bitcoin but I hear a447 has offered 10 wanks, 3 blowjobs and a fuck!
:ymparty:
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobi
Do you take bitcoin?
I may, if it comes to that.
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottish-guy
I dunno about Bitcoin but I hear a447 has offered 10 wanks, 3 blowjobs and a fuck!
OK, that just leaves him $3,476 short then. ;)
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Thanks Surfcrest, sorry that you feel that you have had enough, but quite understand. Like Scotty I have no useful expertise in this area to offer, so it's not one for me either. Your price seems very reasonable and thank you for your tenure. Let's hope that a suitable buyer can be found.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad the Impala
Thanks Surfcrest, sorry that you feel that you have had enough, but quite understand. Like Scotty I have no useful expertise in this area to offer, so it's not one for me either. Your price seems very reasonable and thank you for your tenure.
I've grown to have incredible respect and admiration for you Brad the Impala. You're definitely one of the good guys! :)
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobi
Do you take bitcoin?
Yes ... a tragedy if that happens, if the name starts with a 'B'.
And yes again: Surfcrest saved this board from Neal's crazed version of what was quickly approaching an unadulterated disaster.
As an ex-owner of Sawatdee I have nothing but huge thanks to him for that.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I'm also sad that you are giving up the board, surfcrest.
If you hadn't stepped when you did, the board would have disappeared.
I'm kind of hoping you don't find a buyer and you'll be "forced" to continue.
Whilst not always in agreement with your decisions, I've always appreciated your tireless work in maintaining the board for all of us and admired your patience in dealing with those who took delight in biting the hand that fed them.
At times I know it has been a thankless task, but I, for one, am very grateful for all the time and effort you've put into running this board.
I wish you all the best.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I have been member since 2010 http://66.199.190.19/~sgt/forum/viewtop ... 52&start=0 but suddenly yesterday found myself unregistered. So I had to make account from scratch and now my PM doesn't work yet.
I have questions about this offer, how I can contact you?
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moses
I remember you and I think I have fixed it now so that you can post and use the PM function freely. You can also reach me at surfcrest@hotmail.com
Our previous owner deleted many past members and I'm afraid, based on the time lines since your last visits...you may have been a casualty.
Your old posts still all remain here in the back pages...elephantspike was able to reattach some members to their deleted membership...it is possibly, albeit difficult (impossible for me).
http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/pos...8.html#p216158
Welcome Back Moses!
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
NOTED: Moses' handle and Surfcrest's avatar share a duality which cries out to be recognised.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
There is only one bar (Nice Boys) that I would miss more than this bear pit.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Hard to believe that someone would actually pay money for the "privilege" of having to admin this site...
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
That's only how it is in your small mind lego. Had I not paid a tiny sum pf money, you wouldn't be here right now writing this. I've explained this many times, others knew Neal enough to know that and for those that don't, they probably recall what happened to Neal's final project when he died on that plane.
Don't try so hard to turn into kommie!
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
You're actually proving my point with that sort of reply: Would someone really want to pay money to inherit your job here? It's so obvious that it's a burden to you. Quite frankly, I would expect to get paid to deal with all the crap, and quite handsomely so, instead of paying even the tiniest amount.
I don't get the remark regarding me trying to turn into kommie though. I've been the same ever since I started posting here. Your obsession with Neal (long dead), kommie (only temporarily absent, I'd hope) and others is quite troubling. If that's what running this board is doing to you, well, read my first paragraph again and you might just get my point.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by lego
If that's what running this board is doing to you, well, read my first paragraph again and you might just get my point.
I don't get your point, not interested in putting in the least of effort to. Actually running the Board has been a piece of cake, even better if it weren't for the ulcers here...like specifically you and kommie. If you're detecting something more than that pal, perhaps it's because I have a heck of a lot more going on than just this. Leave the psychotherapy to the professions, not the patients!
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by lego
Quite frankly, I would expect to get paid to deal with all the crap, and quite handsomely so, instead of paying even the tiniest amount.
Rest assured, no one is ever going to pay you!
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
A couple of pertinent questions for Surfcrest:
~ Has a new Moderator been chosen yet (and agreed to do it)?
~ And if so has he/she taken the helm yet?
~ If you get no reasonable offers at all, and/or fail to persuade someone to pay a price, do you intend to turn off Sawatdee's lights.
~ Or, in light of that above would you opt to simply let the new Mod run the joint for the foreseeable future?
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I asked two members if they would be moderators and one declined after contemplating it for a bit, the other member began the assignment but then vacated it due to how one of our threads turned out. Not a worry, I am looking after it again...as you can probably see.
I have indeed had some interest in the site, or the package deal that I am offering. I hope to move this along in the very near future. There would be no reason in the world that I can think of for turning out the lights.
The forum needs a new direction to stay relevant. The phpBB software is outdated and doesn't provide the platform to attract more interest than what we have here already. The WP front end software was just a bad idea from the get go. Without the technical knowledge or aptitude, I was stuck with what Bob wanted to work with rather than the software I purchased when I bought the Board and that has never been used. The server idea was to generate a little income for Bob, as I wasn't able to keep him on as a paid employee given the size of this venture. Unfortunately, that has made us quite top heavy in terms of our monthly expenses and without reliable help, unable to keep up with the pace of technology. That has been the most truly frustrating thing about being the administer here, my own inability to give the membership what they want. The longer this goes on like this, the less relevant we are becoming in this small landscape of Gay Thailand Forums.
I still think, given the right person you could easily turn this into an income generating business easy enough. I receive emails from people who want to advertise that I have to send away because our phpBB ad software is corrupted. This Board still has a lot of history in the community, especially the Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai community and the opinions here are both respected and feared somewhat by the businesses at large. I've been in other parts of the world theses past few years and was unable to leverage that myself, but I'm sure someone else easily could.
There is a tremendous amount of history locked up in the pages of this Forum that everyone as a member here has been a part of and I think I can say, speaking for all of us that we'd like to see that information and history looked after by the next administrator.
Surfcrest
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surfcrest
I don't get your point, not interested in putting in the least of effort to. Actually running the Board has been a piece of cake, even better if it weren't for the ulcers here...like specifically you and kommie. If you're detecting something more than that pal, perhaps it's because I have a heck of a lot more going on than just this. Leave the psychotherapy to the professions, not the patients!
Surfcrest
I wasn't around yet when Neal was still running the show, but that's kind of how I imagine him reacting to posts that are mildly critical of his views. If you have to resort to insulting your members, that again just proves my point and I'm happy to leave it there.
But better don't add fuel to the fire: Running this board has been a piece of cake, you say, yet the simplest of technical issues haven't been fixed in years. Running a successful message board isn't just about managing the membership, and since you've mentioned leaving things to professionals, let me just agree with you this one time.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Thanks Surfcrest for your quick reply to the questions. Clear in my mind.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
I wasn't around yet when Neal was still running the show, but that's kind of how I imagine him reacting to posts that are mildly critical of his views.
No, that's not how he would have reacted. First, you'd get a barrage of vile, threatening PM's. Then you'd be banned.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
True a447 - then you'd have him PM'ing other members to try to find out if they knew your Name, Address, Phone Number, personal/work email, Employment, and other personal details or photographs they might have had
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Fair enough, Neal was the devil. I find it unlikely that his threats would have intimidated me, but I cannot tell with certainty, as I wasn't here. I live a pretty open and squeaky clean life in Bangkok, so there's little potential for blackmail or threats of outing me etc., but I do realize that things can be much different for someone in a less fortunate situation.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Even now I don't think you fully appreciate the extent of the vindictiveness - we are not talking about mere threats of "outing" or "blackmail".
We are talking about threats of physical violence up to and including death, Solicitors letters/emails threatening to have you arrested on charges of libel the minute you set foot in Thailand, constant telephone calls 24/7, and publishing of photographs of members (surreptitiously scoured from social media).
All this just for disagreeing with him, and telling others how he REALLY was.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
The question has been asked before тАУ many times: is there really any need for a Board like this? We know the number of Boards has fallen in recent years and the variety of content on those which remain has narrowed. Overall figures for memberships and readership may be reasonable but the number of regular posters surely is not.
Topics not unnaturally centre on bars and boys, along with requests for info on accommodations, a few on travel issues and less than a handful on political and other issues. The Boards that remain are generally Pattaya-centric with some posts about Bangkok, yet little info occasionally on the rest of the country. Of course times inevitably change especially in the age of the internet, and people change too. Sadly two of the most interesting and informative individual sites - Shamelessmack and BangkokBois тАУ have long since disappeared. Christian manfully gives a wide variety of information in his own blog тАУ but generally it does appear that interest in obtaining information from internet sites is very much on the wane.
I sometimes have a look at the Singapore site Blowing Wind and am quite amazed at how different this is тАУ blowingwind.org. Discount the fact that almost all Singaporeans speak English and so language is not the barrier to such a site as it definitely is here in Thailand where an English language board will rarely attract other than a small number of native English speakers, most of them in the upper age range. Even though Blowing Wind has only 30,000 registered members it permits posting by non-members. Consequently there is a huge active readership and posting base along with a very wide range of topics. Looking at its statistics, as of 12 noon here today there had been 69 posts made within the previous hour! ThatтАЩs almost more than this board sees in one week! And this is the middle of the day when many readers would be working or taking lunch!
Discount, too, the fact that there are flamers and a fair amount of immaturity in the posts since the general age of the membership seems to me to be around 30 and so lots in the teens and 20s bracket, certainly way lower than any similar gay Thailand English board тАУ again for obvious reasons. But sift through the dross and there is quite a bit on that site that really does provide info on quite a number of issues other than just saunas and bars, as well as a wide-ranging TravellerтАЩs Hut section with 24 specific countries/cities as well as general discussion threads. As a regular traveller this has given me quite a number of extremely useful tips.
Blowing Wind does have some advertising and gay-related promotions, but it seems not many. How they run and finance the site, I have no idea. But it surely illustrates once again a point I have occasionally made over the years on this and another Board. Unless an internet site like this can obtain and keep a much larger membership, readership and contributor base, itтАЩs success will depend solely on one person тАУ the owner, and for how long he is prepared to put in the time and effort. Once the novelty or whatever wears off, itтАЩs likely to go down the tubes, sadly, just like those which have gone before.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by fountainhall
...but generally it does appear that interest in obtaining information from internet sites is very much on the wane.
I disagree. It's more that in the last few years specialised sites have become much more inclusive and now cover topics and places of interest to the lgbt community. You can find reviews for gay bars and short time hotels on Trip Advisor. Likewise, if I want travel info. flight comparisons, reward schemes or "best" airlines, then I'll go to a site that focuses specifically on that. There's also the general lgbt travel review sites like Gay Cities.
From my own limited experience, the visible sex industry worldwide appears to be undergoing a sea change, contracting to become more of a tourist attraction than anything else, just something a bit naughty to be visited once during a fortnight's holiday. There's also the cost, what with entrance fees, drinks, off fees and tips, I noticed the total price in Bangkok easily reaches $100, more if you're paying for short time accommodation as well. The hookup apps not only provide better value, you also don't have to wait for a noisy smokey bar to open. I also imagine that for many people the pricing nowadays means there's less incentive to travel half-way-around-the-world when $100 will buy you an hour-or-two a lot closer to home.
I guess these changes means there's less to "discuss" on a board such as this.
I enjoyed my time in Thailand, and will returning for a short visit shortly. However, I didn't find anything unique that made me feel I'd want to become a regular visitor, let alone live there. I felt I'd probably missed that vibe by 20 years or more.
Sorry! :(
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I think Tobi is right regarding travel information - it's accessible from lots of sources now, covers all venues, and you can usually find something bang up to date. No need to consult forums for this.
The main thing that SGT has going for it a sense of camaraderie - even if it sometimes manifests itself as bickering and bitching - I'd be sorry to lose that
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
As for me after living in Thailand for many years the thrill is gone, I've been there done that so I am not interested in a board that talks about ashtrays in a Go Go things are soooo different here then they were that when I read travel reports My reaction is "you should have known it when I first came. The natural response is why do you stay here simple It is still dam cheap to live, have a nice social life, and never see a winter. All I expect from a board is banter and somewhat intelligent exchanges. I've enjoyed my short return to SGT and I hope nothing much changes because the fist board is stifling, the cheesecake board is pathetic and gaythailand is like a coffee table surrounded by the same 4 people.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobi
Quote:
Originally Posted by fountainhall
...but generally it does appear that interest in obtaining information from internet sites is very much on the wane.
I disagree. It's more that in the last few years specialised sites have become much more inclusive and now cover topics and places of interest to the lgbt community. You can find reviews for gay bars and short time hotels on Trip Advisor. Likewise, if I want travel info. flight comparisons, reward schemes or "best" airlines, then I'll go to a site that focuses specifically on that. There's also the general lgbt travel review sites like Gay Cities.
From my own limited experience, the visible sex industry worldwide appears to be undergoing a sea change, contracting to become more of a tourist attraction than anything else, just something a bit naughty to be visited once during a fortnight's holiday. There's also the cost, what with entrance fees, drinks, off fees and tips, I noticed the total price in Bangkok easily reaches $100, more if you're paying for short time accommodation as well. The hookup apps not only provide better value, you also don't have to wait for a noisy smokey bar to open. I also imagine that for many people the pricing nowadays means there's less incentive to travel half-way-around-the-world when $100 will buy you an hour-or-two a lot closer to home.
I guess these changes means there's less to "discuss" on a board such as this.
I enjoyed my time in Thailand, and will returning for a short visit shortly. However, I didn't find anything unique that made me feel I'd want to become a regular visitor, let alone live there. I felt I'd probably missed that vibe by 20 years or more.
Sorry! :(
I agree with a lot of what you say. Maybe I missed it, but context on your comments would help if we knew your home country? Although I use Trip Advisor and agree there are now many comments on Gay Establishments , I find the site can be very unreliable since they allow posts with no way of verifying their personal knowledge. This is especially true in regard to Hotels where anyone can post a review whether they actually stayed there or not. I find Booking.com reviews much more valuable because you have to paid and checked out in order to post a review.
Of course I have eliminated Hotels completely in my travel on any trips of 2 days or more. I find I get far more value out of VRBO and Airbnb. Better places at less money and usually much more helpful owners then Hotel personnel.
The value of recommendations on a small membership board , you can find which members actually give worthwhile information and once you have taken advantage of that info you can seek comments from the same member .
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
I'm based in the UK.
I agree about sites that verify hotel stays, and no doubt there are a lot of fake reviews on Trip Advisor, but in truth they're pretty easy to weed out. If someone has only posted one review that's the red flag in my book. I also find what gets-the-goat and a 1-star review from a lone-female traveller may well be a major plus to me!
I've benefitted from forums such as Sawatdeenetwork but I also appreciate the up-to-the-minute info. on other specialist sites too. I also think forums are not the easiest format to glean info. from especially where threads meander across topics or get derailed entirely. The younger generation especially will expect an instant answer from a search, not having to sift through a lot of often irrelevant dross to find those few nuggets of gold.
I remember visiting San Francisco back in the 1970s and like Mary Ann in Tales, thinking "wow, yes I could live here". I visited again a few years ago and couldn't wait to leave, the place and vibe had changed beyond all recognition. I feel the same way about London. I undoubtedly missed the boat with Thailand. Please don't get me wrong, it's definitely a fantastic place to visit, I loved Chiang Mai, but for me "scene-wise" nothing currently beats a Sunday afternoon shopping expedition to Farme beach in Ipanema. :)
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
After a long career that entailed much globetrotting I limit my air travel to 3.5 hours one way direct, and I only stay where others I know and respect their opinion as for restaurants Trip advisor is useless how many "wonderful " Fabulous, The best place" can people write? After going to a few "Wonderful " eateries posted on trip advisor I don't bother looking at it anymore.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottish-guy
The main thing that SGT has going for it a sense of camaraderie - even if it sometimes manifests itself as bickering and bitching - I'd be sorry to lose that
Agree with you Scotty about camaraderie, it would be a loss.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottish-guy
Even now I don't think you fully appreciate the extent of the vindictiveness - we are not talking about mere threats of "outing" or "blackmail".
We are talking about threats of physical violence up to and including death, Solicitors letters/emails threatening to have you arrested on charges of libel the minute you set foot in Thailand, constant telephone calls 24/7, and publishing of photographs of members (surreptitiously scoured from social media).
All this just for disagreeing with him, and telling others how he REALLY was.
Two things:
Firstly, living in Thailand, I'm well familiar with Thailand's criminal defamation laws. "Telling others how he really was" can actually constitute a crime in Thailand, unlike in many (most?) other countries. So in that case, Neal did unfortunately have leverage, and he benefited from the fact that Thai law protects even crooks against a loss of face.
Secondly, I might not fully appreciate how evil he was, but he'd have had a hard time trying it on with me. I wouldn't have given him any legitimate grounds as described above, obviously, and whatever baseless threats he might have issued wouldn't have impressed me much.
It's a bit like with the famous jet ski scam. It works well on tourists who don't know how things work in Thailand, and you cannot really blame the victims for feeling intimidated. But I wouldn't exactly call the perps criminal masterminds either.
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Ah well Lego, it must be great to know everything.
Unfortunately I'm only 99% of the way there.
:))
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottish-guy
The main thing that SGT has going for it a sense of camaraderie - even if it sometimes manifests itself as bickering and bitching - I'd be sorry to lose that
Fair point, and one I had overlooked. Yet, does it not merely reinforce the point I was making? Surfcrest has done a great job, but what I wonder is the benefit in this day and age to any new owner of ploughing cash into a Board, supervising and moderating it, spending more cash updating its technology from time to time etc. when the number of active posters interested in being members of what is a club/fraternity call-it-what-you-will is, let's be honest, minuscule. Obtaining cash advertising for a site that has only a few dozen posers is surely impossible, unless it's a case of friends of friends. And without advertising, surely the cash and time outlay is only of interest to someone with a very personal interest in keeping the site up and running?
That said, a board focussing on all things gay in Thailand really ought to have a much, much larger market. No-one yet seems to know how to achieve that!
-
Re: Sawatdee Network is For Sale
Quote:
Originally Posted by fountainhall
That said, a board focussing on all things gay in Thailand really ought to have a much, much larger market. No-one yet seems to know how to achieve that!
I have no idea whether or not this would work, but personally, I'd say turn it into more of a high-quality dating site focused on Farang-Thai relationships (and Thai-Thai of course). Folks like Grindr and Hornet already have the hook-up scene taken care of, so concentrate on something a little higher quality, more involved, with a good sense of community. SGT has lots of English speaking gay guys who love cute Thai guys, and there's still a good number of Thai guys looking or Mr. Right Farang.
Revamp the forum, but also restructure everything so the forum is only one aspect of the site, instead of the entire site itself. Add a bunch of social media bells & whistles -- online chat, ability to follow people, each user has their own timeline they can post to, mobile apps to allow things like instantly posting images you've taken with your cell phone with one button, etc. Allow more extensive profiles with full stats, journal / blog, photos, etc. Maybe allow people to post events, and ask for RSVPs. Then obvously, multiple Thai language sections as well.
Attracting people may not to be too difficult, depending on your moral compass. Just write a few bots to scrape all the profiles off Gindr, Hornet, and GR, then spam them to let them know about the site. "Find the farang / Thai of your dreams" type of thing. If the site took off, income for the new owner would be an non-issue, as you'd probably have tons of dating sponsors lining up to advertise on your site.
Problem with this is it's a massive project, plus a complete gamble, and one of those projects that could easily suck the soul right out of you. Once the initial revamp is done, you could easily get stuck in a downward spiral because you're adamant on making it work, so continue devoting time and resources to at. At the end, it could be all for nothing. On the flip side, if done properly, it could also turn into a very vibrant community that produces good income.