I thought this guy may have been you because he seem to photo the performers with the full support of the staff there.  The "Queen" even froze in the middle of bad lip-sync to control the outcome of the photo......    

Buck, I believe Boxer knows a number of bar owners in Bangkok & Pattaya quite well and has received permission to photograph inside these bars on occasion (not sure how regularly this happens).



I don't think he goes into just any old gogo bar in Thailand he feels like and ~ as a 'stranger' ~ starts snapping away:  A sure prescription to get tossed out on one's ear  



Cheers ...

Two of the photos provided by DBBoy of the Nation V Party in Phuket will be placed here.  







 A second one, appears below.  



The others provided by DBBoy will be available on the Weekly Report on Thailand for the Week of November 13, 2005.  Idaho, the www.pattayagay.com web master, has posted all, and all can be viewed on the site.  As he said, it sure looked like everyone was having a good time.  -- G.P.

 

This was posted on the gaypatong  yahoogroup

The link did not work and I could not find the article on the website





Thailand's chance to tap into the lucrative market for gay visitors

Published on Nov 10, 2005







Some 1,500 people – mostly gay men from Asian countries – attended

"Nation V" in Phuket last Friday and Saturday. The event is an annual

social gathering for gays, lesbians, and gay-friendly folks from many

countries to enjoy music, making friends, and activities like

swimming, volleyball, surfing, diving, and sunbathing.







For the many participants who still live "in the closet" because of

legal or traditional discrimination in their societies, the event

offers a chance for them to be themselves. Attendees danced at many

theme parties to the latest club music, spun by world-famous DJs.



This was by no means the first big meeting of gays and lesbians in

Thailand. Earlier this year, a group of scholars from all over Asia

met in Bangkok from July 7 to 9, when researchers, non-profit groups,

and people interested in gender studies shared data. Some 800 to 1,000

local and international visitors attended the seminar. And various

parades and contests with gay themes have been held in recent years.



Economically, it's good for Thailand to be hosting big gatherings like

Nation V, especially considering the slowdown in tourism after the

tsunami. Around the world, gays and lesbians are a newly discovered

and lucrative target for the tourism industry. Yet many countries,

including Thailand have yet to fully explore this segment of the

tourist market.



Last weekend, the host hotel for the event, the Crowne Plaza Karon

Beach Phuket, was fully booked – along with the nearby Baan Karon Buri

Resort, the Karon Princess Hotel, and the Hilton Phuket Arcadia. Their

guests lent extra vibrancy to nightlife venues and restaurants,

especially in Patong. An official from the Phuket Tourism Association

estimated that the Nation V partygoers spent a whopping Bt30 million

in the province. Marketers worldwide believe gay tourists individually

spend more than general tourists.



Of course, Bt30 million is not much compared to huge economic losses

caused by the tsunami. But imagine the impact of crowds like this

visiting Phuket, every weekend, and similarly large numbers hitting

tourist spots around Thailand.



Nation V, organised by fridae.com, is considered to be Asia's largest

gay fete.



A previous Nation V party in Singapore attracted about 8,000 people.

That year's party was able to draw such a large crowd because the

organiser had built a strong base of members and managed to gain

support from the government, as part of Singapore's "loosening up" in

regards to being tolerant of diversity, specifically in terms of its

attitude towards homosexuals. But the Singapore government last year

turned down the organiser's request to hold a smaller seasonal

gathering.



The present government of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, while

claiming to continue the non-discriminatory stance famously initiated

under the previous administration, appears to have jumped to the

conclusion that having gay activities is contrary to the "public

interest".



In other words, it means gays have the right live and pay taxes in

Singapore, but not be seen as promoting their lifestyle in public.

Worse, a government agency also employed an old stereotype, in stating

that gay parties have helped contribute to the recent rise of HIV

transmission rates in the country.



Despite Singapore's multi-faceted modernisation, not enough is being

done to enhance its people's understanding of gender and sexual

issues.



According to a news report earlier this year, when a Singaporean

teacher was found to have HIV, the whole school and students' parents

were informed. Panicked parents asked the school administrator to

clean up everything from the teacher's computer keyboard to the

toilets the teacher had used. They were afraid that their children

could be infected by touching what the teacher had touched.



From the outset, Fridae's Nation V simply drew gay visitors to enjoy

the sun, beaches, and dancing. The successful event also put Phuket on

the world tourism map as a gay-friendly getaway. Phuket would do well

to work to maintain this new reputation, as many other major

destinations would like to further tap this niche market too.



"Many of the attendees had never been to Phuket. They were excited to

visit. They have heard how Thai society has been tolerant and open to

diversity," said Stuart Koe, CEO of fridae.com.



In the same event, a lesbian group from Malaysia organised the Girl

Pride Asia event, with film screenings and other social activities.



Gay or lesbian visitors enjoy the same kinds of activities that other

tourists like. They want to find a nice, peaceful, and friendly place

to relax and enjoy their time with their friends.



Visitors at the event were truly impressed by the warm welcome,

professionalism and non-discriminatory mindset shown to them by the

local government in Phuket, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and

health service facilities like Patong Hospital. They will surely share

stories about this back in their homelands.



Thailand has a long history of tolerance towards homosexuals. Many big

gay-friendly events have been held here in recent years. The

government and private companies should spend some time thinking how

to make the most of this tradition, rather than worrying about old

homophobes that scream out in fear that people of different sexual

orientation could harm their children.



People are attracted to Thailand not only because of the cultural and

natural attractions on offer, but also the open-mindedness, a value

that the government does not need to spend huge money on to promote.



Vitaya Saeng-Aroon



Special to The Nation



Vitaya Saeng-Aroon is the pseudonym of a Thai newspaper columnist who

writes on gay issues.

As a member of this group you will get regular news from Gay Patong.