An interesting read, although strangely written ... no where does it mention who the article is about. It is attributed simply as "As told to Isabel Berwick." I assume it is Peter Jackson, whose interesting works about Thai gay and gender issues are readily available in English bookstores in Thailand.

Re the snippet about the current government ...
"The previous political regime of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had conservative moral policies, and magazines and other gay businesses were often raided. Somewhat ironically, since the military coup that overthrew Thaksin in September 2006, the climate for homosexual people has improved markedly. There's been a boom in gay businesses, including new gay magazines."

* Is Thailand's current regime really the first "gay friendly" military government ?

"We have put ads in the gay press and on gay websites, asking people to donate magazines to our archive, and we have used the network of people working in gay rights and HIV prevention NGOs (non governmental organisations) in Thailand to get the message out. I have been stunned by the positive response, and by the sense of community history they have. So far we haven't had to pay for any of the several hundred magazines that have been donated.
There are many people in Bangkok who collect gay magazines. One man rolled up in a taxi with three huge boxes - he had kept them in a storeroom for years. One closeted man e-mailed, saying he lived with his parents in the suburbs and they had no idea he was gay. He said it was fine to go and pick up his collection, but asked that nobody came in drag, which would have given the game away."

* I am not aware of any such advertisements on 'our' boards. But perhaps it's only Thai language material that is of interest. But surely there are expat readers here who have built up collections of Thai gay magazines that they did not buy "just for the articles".

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