watthong

Probably webfact is sending out their own in-house "activists." Personally. I won't have this kind of "activists" working on my gay cause. "Parents," definitely, but "mother and father" as a same sex couple? No way Jose. Are you kidding? Us gays have gone too far in our quest for equality to settle for this parental gender-divider. Such nonsense. Two mothers or two fathers can't do the job? Says who, considering the most commonly heard complaint from straight unions since millennium has been about mothers doing most of the child rearing chores. Nevertheless, the takeaway from outsiders looking in has taken on this twisted interpretation of the term "equal marriage" - embellishing with their own bias such as "one of whom wants to be a man" FYI, bias = "A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment." Or let me elaborate on that: the tendency to (mis)interpret other people's words, action or intention, based on one's personal preference or inclination. Thanadech is not asking legislation to legalize his desire "to be a man." He's asking for equal marriage (same sex marriage being equally legal as straight marriage). Which means by doing that he has implicitly conceded that in the eye of the laws, he and his girlfriend are still of the same sex ie woman and woman. Not man and woman. But if you still insist on applying the "man and woman" paradigm onto an "equal marriage" bill that us gay are hoping for, then you''re not only out of place, you're out of touch (and your bias is showing!)

Webfact does what a checkout line tabloid has to do to get readership. Always grab a piece of news by the most sensationalistic angle, regardless whether that angle covers the rule or the exception. With matters regarding gender roles within the LGBTQ group, which is by nature rife with confusion, webfact would add a few potholes here and there to make sure readers have ground to sow their own biases. Case in point: Bias One : "one of whom now wants to be a man," - "One of whom," Thanadech has already gone through sex change, ie he has long passed the "wants to be a man" stage. In his mind he is now a man (whether the laws agree is another matter.) There's no mention of his girlfriend, the one whose child they are raising together, "now wants to be a man" either. Bias Two: (they, the couple, are concerned) the bill doesn't effectively mean: they will be legally considered a man and a woman and the legal parents of those children." This is what Thanadech is quoted as saying in the article" “I want the equal marriage law to be passed. It will make my family complete like any other family of men and women.” Though something might be lost in the translation, "family of men and women" in this context should be understood as "straight family." Thanadech wants equal rights for his family as those of a straight family. No where did he said that there must be a man and a woman to "make my family complete."

In the few local malls that I frequent, now and then they would have on the ground floor a mini-book fair (selling discounted books plus a few tables of stationary and knicknack) just to stir the popular reading interest up I guess. In the (translated from) foreign-language corner, you can find a lot of history books, and among these Hitler/Mein Kampf feature prominently, as if this is the latest trend... Even though this book fair does move around from mall to mall, its stock remains more or less the same. So what can we be hoping- or dispairing rather - from this?

World history interests my Thai partner mightily... However, when it comes to watching "historical movies" - most of these depicting wars - there's still a lot of hitting the pause button to explain things to him. Thais have no idea whatsoever what living in war time might entail (curfew, food ration, checkpoints, bomb raid bunkers, etc.) And so I turn to the shark-attack movies...

"It's about convenience...." and more. In Asia food courts are regarded as something of an institution though most of the time privately owned. I always considered them as the equivalent of a village square for us urban-dwellers. A place to "people watch" your own community. You can pretty much tell how well or how badly they are doing by observing a slice of their daily lives. For rootless foreigners who have no respect or awareness of social customs to barge in and complaint about how the locals live, what they eat/how they spend money, how long "old people enjoying free air-conditioning for the price of one coffee," etc. such behavior is simply uncouth, uncalled for and uneducated.

You're not alone. Same here: I have to ship over loads of second hand books also. Heavy shipping charges, but I don't read books on tablets. There's nothing like the feel of a good paperback in one's hands, or a slab of a coffeetable book that weighs 8lbs. Btw, if you're in BKK check out my Dasa Books recommendation earlier.

My recommendation is Dasa Books (used books) near Prom Pong BTS. Impressive inventory even carries Spanish books. Friendly prices. They update their inventory database daily on their website. The idea is you call them ahead of time f you see something you want, then ask them to hold it for you. If that works (I have never tried) it would be great for out of town visitors. Oh, they also buy back books.

I'm sure some of the university educated Thais would love to have access to English books too - places to browse, affordable prices - but here is the reality on the ground: The one Kinokuniyas in Siam square has reduced its English-language stock considerably, making room for, you guess right, Chinese-language materials. I no longer go there. Asia Books are now mostly children toy/stationary stores. The Annual BKK Book Fair (see photo) as far as English-language books go, have 99 per cent junk, the kind you'll find in US charity shops. (And yes, I have to ship over loads of second hand books also. Heavy shipping charges, but I don't read books on tablets. There's nothing like the feel of a good paperback in one's hands.)

I guess up till now, at your tender old age, you never been taught to keep your gloomy outlook regarding other people's business to yourself? While nobody asks you to "hold your breath" for their own affair? "I hope it is for all those involved" yeah sure we really really believe you meant well-wishes (while predicting gloom and doom on us, "a marriage visa/extension will not be allowed") Oh yes, we have to "wait and see..." However for the likes of you who have neither say nor stake in gay marriage, you don't have to "wait and see..." So get off the line now and scoot. We don't need another busybody hypocrite like you. Go bark up another tree.

Couldn't win the big argument, therefore had to settle on the small one... That spells "pettiness." Then adding a drag-queen Trumper image to support your "small one..." That spells "desperation."

Unfortunately, as far as Immigration is concerned. You still have (those) 3 days to do it, if you rather not then the fines are on you. You can't blame it oh holidays or your personal affair. I personally have witnessed one stubborn farang lady triy to bargain on same scenario to no avail. They shooed her away after making her pay, and didn't bother to even print her a fine receipt.

So what if they do? Unbesknown to your tunnel-visioned farangs, food court is a way of life in the East. It serves a communal purpose and yes, old people are more revered here than in the West. FYI, by Thai laws the supermarkets such as BigC, Lotus are required to open year round to serve the general populace. MY local Lotus foodcourt for its post covid-reopening had all the (basic) dishes prized at 25 baht and they did that for 3 months straight. Where do you get that in your lovely West?

Says who? Merriam and Webster definition of "parents" 1 a: one that begets or brings forth offspring just became parents of twins b: a person who brings up and cares for another foster parents Nowhere does it mention "father and mother" or "the same child." Main point is that gays can do both a) and b ) equally well, if not better. If you want to live by your own standard, fine. Just don't apply it onto others. Thank you very much.

Why adding " just won't sit near them" if "They don't bother me"? Because they are "Old guys on a pension"? What do you have against these folks? Their age or their class? Old guys on a pension, like me, tend to dress nicely (read cleanly,) and mind our own business. Like most customers who eat there actually. And unlike the other kind of farangs: gruffy-looking, sweaty, red-faced ones in shorts and pony tail, running around barking orders in their own language to those behind the counter.

It's sad, Mr ("Can you provide proof/annecdote/hearsay examples of...") One -and- One- Question- Only to hear the sound of one hand clapping... Where's your pal, the one that you sent thumb up emojis to after each and every of his posts? Haven't heard a single beep from him since he got called out recently. You used to kiss the ground he walked on, IIRC. But don't feel abandoned, we do enjoy your company here, as comic relief.

Fact check 1st sentence: How many of those "balanced gay men I know"? Half a million? Or a couple of millions? Fact check 2nd sentence: "The war against discrimination has been won." By whom? Against which discrimination. If it's discrimination against gays, no it definitely has not. Broad, sweeping statements with unfounded facts are called "propaganda."

Thailand also prides itself as the land of Smiles, but you need to look closer. .. Anyway what webfact posted is a very brief article, however true to form is chokeful of loose-ends and choppy statements so that opinions could be easily misconstrued (or maybe that's the intention - as often the case with this news outlet)- and spun away. Right at the top, "Fears of discrimination in Thailand" is a misleading title. Sweating out the details, tweaking the blueprint of a bill about marriage equality is the opposite of fears. Had there been fears this bill would not have gotten to where it is today. But stoking "Fears" is irresistible, it "sells newspapers" you see...

Oh, I didn't know that. So this is what google gave me: "Expats living and working in another country as a US citizen are required to file US tax returns and pay any taxes due by April 15, 2024, unless an extension applies.2 The standard deadline for Americans living in the US filing a US tax return is April 15, 2024.13 Expats are granted an automatic two-month extension for filing their US tax returns, which extends the US tax filing deadline for expats to June 17, 2024. They may also request additional extensions if needed.3" Thanks JT or tips re taxacct. Never used them before but will give it a try this year. Do they also do state return? Anyway, will give you an update in due course.

Granpa is loosing his marbles...No self-respecting gays would wear miniskirt and have an erection in a women's locker room. It's an impossible feat!

For all the inane ranting and tired homophobic vitriols that followed, you showed your root too early, mate. Right at the start: to declare that "Western Govts" - notice the plurals, that mean the Western world - would fall for the "same traps and cave into" shows a deluded mind, yours that is. In the old days we would say you suffer from "delusions de grandeur" roughly translated as delusion stemming from self-aggrandization ... You think you're so smart, ain't that right? More than all Western Govts combined, you can see the "traps" and they couldn't? Oh yeah, who do you think you're fooling? With the dosage of pseudo-intellectual jargon copiously "seasoning" your speech - one tasty morsel: Princess Bitchface Syndrome 2.0, published by Penguin Books Australia? Are you serious? Your state of mind is brazenly juvenile, as plain to see as dog turd on while gravel. Stinks to high heavens mate, but I figure your nose is so deep in it you can't even tell.

This myth usually touted by homophobes, I repeat, usually, and especially those who loudly claim they are not - so let's debunk it once and for all: 1) who are those people ("people who tarnish all people as homophobic as they do not agree with gay marriage")? I'm sure there are that kind of people but I for once, as a gay person "do not tarnish all people as homophobic as they do not agree with gay marriage." 2) Homophobes do not agree with gay marriage, you can bet your life on that, but that's not the only thing that get them "tarnished" as homophobic. So let's make that clear, people don't get tarnished as homophobic because they don't agree with gay marriage, they get tarnished as homophobic because of their stance against gays, one of the myriad application of that stance is their opposition to gay marriage. If you can not make out those nuances for example: << do not agree vs, opposition>>, or just want to whitewash them with your broad-stroke ("people tarnish all people") argument, then I think you have an agenda...Right, granpa?

This construct of argument, the second half of the sentence punches right back to the first half, "I'm not religiously brainwashed" but "I see marriage as it is in the bible..." is the de facto tactic often used by homophobic bigots, as in "I don't hate gays, I just hate that they have the same rights I do". Here another tactic, creating their own myth about those they want to criticize or put down, but too coward to do so outright:

So right, so soo right! FatBurger was one facet of LA in its twilight glory (in the 70s, say about half a century ago...) Wolfing down one with everything piled up high (including one EGG over easy, the cook makes sure the yolk still runny) before going up La Cienega and hunkering down inside Tower Records on Sunset on a Friday night. A whole enchilada of SoCal experience to be had for the cost of one FatBurger, as my salary of part-time pumping gas in UCLA/Westwood Village could only afford that much fun to be had. Last time I check California was already part of the United States during that era. I guess your "KhunLA" moniker is a misnomer, and I meant that DIS-respectfully.

Back in my stateside days, I used to work in Immigration related field (for third party doing contracted work off INS, as US Immigration was known back then) and run into quite a bit of Anna Nicole Smith scenario, ie young girls marrying rich old geyzers. Whenever we see a 20 plus year gap between the ages of the couple, us file clerks would quickly leaf through to page XX of the green card application, and sure enough we would see serious amount of income and assets from the part of the groom. Will that be any reason to deny? No such thing, INS don't rule out the possibility that these two are getting married for love/companionship - among other things -that constitute marriage between 2 PEOPLE. All the conundrum that surrounds the legitimacy of a straight couple would also happen EQUALLY to a gay couple when they apply for a marriage license. The question of which SEX either party belongs to will not be relevant in whether the marriage is going to be "genuine" (for love or money or companionship or a combination thereof). To put it bluntly, if a bar girl can marry for love, so can a ladyboy or any other gender-arrangement thereof.

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