Other Thailand boards and there value?

[topjohn5]

Can I get some comments on the value of the other Thailand boards. Specifically the value of the information provided for a newby like me....I just don't want to waste a lot of time on the other sites doing searches if this board is the best one for info. Of course, I am not relying just on a "board" for my Thailand information you can be sure of that! If possible when you comment tell me why you like or dislike them. Also, if you have some other ones I missed please include them in your comments.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on:
1. gaytingtong
2. gaythailand
3. thaivisa
4. utopia-asia
5. baht-stop

Similar Threads:

• Thailand Message Boards on the decline
• OTHER BOARDS
• What is the relationship if any with these boards....
• Why are there so many boards?

I like Mr Mos.

1. gaytingtong - no comment
2. gaythailand - Created by someone who fell in love with "Thailand" after a single visit to Pattaya. Best (but unintentional) line - "Bangkok is the city of angles"
3. thaivisa - I believe they have a gay section
4. utopia-asia - excellent place for resources provided you understand that for some reason they have a bias against commercial sex. If you're going to be a regular visitor, get hold of their lifetime Utopia card, which gives you a 10% discount in many places. Some bars have their in-house card but sometimes it's renewable annually and for a renewal fee. Utopia's is a one off. Not used in go-go bars (!!!)
5. baht-stop - run by a maniac who patronises everyone whose opinions do not align with his

You didn't mention Dreaded Ned - always useful - http://www.dreadedned.com and the blog Gay Boy Thailand - run by a former member of this Board who was hounded off by the politically correct - http://www.gayboythailand.com/bangkok-thailand/

There's also one called Rice Queen Diary that I stopped reading when I realised he was promoting some fairly objectionable behaviour although he makes some good points about how to deal with Thai boys from timne to time, from the perspective of a resident

Each board seems to have developed its own character. Some people sample them all. This board is the largest. In my respectful view, by keeping it going the moderators and many of the contributors make a major contribution to gay life in Thailand. However not every post could be described as "info" (topjohn5's term in his original question).
The Sawatdee Gay Thailand Forum is perhaps a liitle like the Bible. The sources of the most of contributions is unknown. The sheer volume of the material is unmanagable for most people. Some material is fantasy, some ranting, some irritating if takenseriously, some baseless, some sociopathetic and some prolix. A lot of skipping and rapid reading is useful. However there are many good and useful things on this forum and perseverance is well worth while.
Tingtong's and Baht Stop often have useful information, including political and more general discussion. I don't have time to check the other boards regularly. However let a thousnd flowers, or message boards, bloom - even if weeds, thorns and cactus sometimes appear.

[francois]

[quote="topjohn5"]Can I get some comments on the value of the other Thailand boards. Specifically the value of the information provided for a newby like me....I just don't want to waste a lot of time on the other sites doing searches ...

topjohn5; same as the best go go bar for your type of guy, you must search for yourself. In r├йalit├й all forums have something to offer; it is not a waste of time to look and then decide for yourself.

[thrillbill]

Since living in Thailand, I have found a lot of good information from Sawatdee Gay Thailand posts. For me this is especially helpful since all of my co-workers at work are straight. As we all know, we have to filter what is said on the various forums, realize that some of the "regulars" post garbage or a comment to get a rise out of the reader. A big thanks needs to go to all of us that take the time out to answer each member's questions or concerns (I am not being sarcastic here). The only gripe I have with the post is that Sawatdee Gay seems to be geared for the older farang; (I'm not a spring chicken but young at heart) so if you want input from a variety of ages (20's to 80's),it won't happen with this web sight... It seems to be patronized by folks that are retired. Nothing wrong with this, but the 55+ crowd MAY have a different outlook on things than someone in their 30's or 40's.

I like to read the topics on Thaivisa also which will cover news events and information about living in Thailand.

For traveling I think Utopia has more information and updated than Dread's or some other gay websight.

Thank goodness for the internet, it certainly has made access/ knowledge to gay life a lot easier than 20+ years ago when gay venues/ health concerns/ "dating" and other topics were from word of mouth or printed in some gay publication. I envy the young gay man who has it so much easier today than back in the age of no computers, cell phones, and micro wave popcorn!

... so if you want input from a variety of ages (20's to 80's),it won't happen with this web sight... It seems to be patronized by folks that are retired. Nothing wrong with this, but the 55+ crowd MAY have a different outlook on things than someone in their 30's or 40's.

And you'll be sure to tell us the URL for that Web site when you find it?

[lonelywombat]

Can I get some comments on the value of the other Thailand boards. Specifically the value of the information provided for a newby like me....I just don't want to waste a lot of time on the other sites doing searches if this board is the best one for info. Of course, I am not relying just on a "board" for my Thailand information you can be sure of that! If possible when you comment tell me why you like or dislike them. Also, if you have some other ones I missed please include them in your comments.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on:
1. gaytingtong
2. gaythailand
3. thaivisa
4. utopia-asia
5. baht-stop

I prefer to read and post here. The range of topics and contributors is much wider but your sanity can be challenged by some of the nuts that try and take the board over. There has been tighter moderation in recent months after a poll asking members what they wanted .Learn to use the search feature as a lot of what you want to know has already been answered before. Give some thought as to the subject of your thread, and some detail of what you are looking for

Gaytingtong is a friendlier forum as they are much tougher on what is allowed to be posted It is like living in a small town compared to the big city of SWD. Everyone seems to know and respect each other

Baht-stop mainly ex pats who appear to be financially stretched. It does attract more political comment than all forums put together, both Thai and mainly US To seek much info on bars discos and saunas, probably not the place to ask

Gaythailand is moderated by the most prolific poster to all forums and most threads are started by him or the owner.
A lot of good advice on living in Thailand but mainly one mans point of view

I have never found Thaivisa interesting

the pgreport published free weekly is full of news of what is happening and has 2 years of back reports in its archive
www.pgreport.com
it also gives a link to gayaffairspattaya.com which has a social page and the best maps of gay pattaya around

A rule of thumb -----when your OP reaches the third page , change the title and start again i a new thread.

There has been tighter moderation in recent months after a poll asking members

It constantly amazes me how people see what they want (or expect) to see - I haven't noticed any difference. If you take the boygeenyus saga, for example, clearly the Mods have simply given up on their policy of never letting The Lad post here again. Chao Na's been going strong for weeks now

[bing]

You touched on a thought that has crossed my mind a few times. You are correct. It is a good thing to realize that when I first started visiting Thailand back in the early 90's, I did not have a computer or even know how to use one, and the only real source of information aside from travel guides in Barnes and Nobles was Sparticus. I sat with my cup of coffee and read every entre about Thailand. I even hand drew a pic of the map of hot spots in Bangkok. It pointed me to the Rose Hotel in Bangkok and Ambiance in Pattaya, so a big thanks to Sparticus for service rendered. One stop at Sawatdee Gay Thailand is a light year ahead of the Sparticus of old. Thank Buddah for this forum, even with its abundance of warts.