Friends,
We recently re-stored the Bangkokbois site, “…dancing with the devil in the city of angels…” for Rush in his absence.
Rush died in his home in California on November 23, 2015 where he’d lived with his elderly mother who he cared for.
Rush gave us all a lot of pleasure with his writing, his posts and his exceptional sense of humor.
I know, speaking on behalf of his readers…he has been and will continue to be missed.
Surfcrest
http://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork.com
Shay O'Byrne said:
So sorry to hear that very sad news. Rush’s posts were always extremely well written, informative and useful. The pix were superb too.
This is a huge loss , not just for Noom.
And thank you for keeping the blog alive.
I live in Bangkok.
Surfcrest said:
His posts will live on here and as Rush, Yet Again on the Sawatdee Network 🙂
Tony said:
Surfcrest, thank you for this update. I wondered what happened. I am truly saddenend to hear that Rush passed away. I loved his posts and can say from my heart that he will be missed. RIP
Surfcrest said:
There was a wonderful story on the News about a policeman in Ceres California who stepped in to help out his mother after he suddenly passed away. Rush was a great guy and will be missed.
Robert said:
Wow! this is a great shock to hear that Rush is no more. I looked forward to his daily musings. His wit and reasoning were first rate. His talent was good enough that he could have written a weekly column in any major newspaper, and would have received major kudos for his work..
I did not know the guy personally, never having met him. I would often reply to his posting with a snarky, smart-ass comment, and enjoyed his like-minded wit in his replies to my comments. I was surprised to find a personal note from him one day in my personal email. We corresponded occasionally, and I emailed him on many occasions, with personal comments and questions, as well as odd-ball stories from the Bangkok News, or passed on quirky bits about lives and experiences of gay men. He was like a kindred spirit to me.
One day, this past summer I came to realize that I was no longer receiving his daily scribes, and drafted a note, which I never mailed to him, asking what became of his musings. I though perhaps he got in serious trouble with the law in Thailand. If Rush passed away around Thanksgiving time, last year, what happened to him from the time of his last column, nearly a year ago, and the time of his passing? Had he become seriously incapacitated as a result of a heart attack or stroke? inquiring minds want to know! Has anyone heard anything from his recent partner, Dave (I believe?) who Rush was writing about is the last year of his blog?
With all due respect to all those reading this, I think is it best to put his blog to rest along with him. Bangkokbois was truly all his work, and that is why we readers loved the blog and him. Any attempt to recreate his work would be a very pale imitation of him, and certainly not in the same persona that made Rush unique. It would be as if someone tried to assume the spirit of George Carlin or Robin Williams. Certainly not the same.
Because of what I learned about BKK and surrounding areas, I hope someday I can visit Thailand and experience the beauty of the country and get to know some of the sweet bangkokbois there. I know I would feel his spirit in the streets.
Rest in Peace, Rush. Thanks for all the laughs and smiles. You are deeply missed!
Robert
Surfcrest said:
There’s no plan to recreate his work, just to restore his site and make a final post to let anyone unfamiliar with Sawatdee Gay Thailand and the Sawtdee Network, that he’s gone.
Bruce said:
I had wondered what had happened and missed the posts a lot. I’m so sorry to hear the news. He was a great writer and had a wonderful sense of humor. He will be missed.bru
Pieter said:
Here’s a note from another faithful reader of his blog
My trips to Thailand would have been a lot less interesting than what they became
with the help of his blog
Miss the daily blog greatly and happy to see someone cleared up the vanishing of it
khortose said:
There are many good blogs being written today, but Rush’s was one of the best.
I truly miss his wit and wisdom. So long Rush and thanks for all the great entertaining reading and sexy pictures.
John said:
I am really sad to hear that Rush passed away. I knew something must have happened as I stopped receiving updates and even the personal emails I sent him went unanswered.
A couple of years ago, Shameless Mac, who also had a great blog, although very different, suddenly stopped, but no one seems to know why.
As someone who love Thailand, I really enjoyed reading Rush’s reports, reviews and opinions. As everyone says, they were very well-written and always so interesting to read and an invaluable reference for anyone wishing to explore Thailand and it’s neighboring countries.
Robert Alvarez said:
I AM so sorry to hear that Rush died. I must confess, I had not visited his blog in a long time, and recently, I received a pingback from a comment I posted more than a year ago.
I need to ask; how is Rush’s mother doing? Is someone going to take care of her now that Rush has died?
I must say, I AM quite stunned. May Rush truly rest in peace.
AshRegister said:
Very sorry to hear this. Rush and his blog more than anything else helped me understand Thailand and Thai ways – and made it all so much better and so less confusing.
He really achieved something in my opinion.
RIP
Ash
Grant said:
RIP Rush
I lived in Thailand 3+ years when I found BangkokBois & I learned so much that I just didn’t know about Thailand (as I’m a simple Virgin!!). I ask many questions from post that I found here to my now Ex (who claims he wasn’t a moneyboy but then ask who have I been talking to and how do I know so many new terms?) LOL 🙂
I wrote to Rush & told him how I stayed up 16-20 hours reading much of his informative & funny post about Thailand. It’s great someone has saved BBois as it provides useful info to anyone visiting or living in Thailand.
Thanks Rush.. you will be missed! 🙁
Oro said:
Such sad news.
I too was wondering what had happened to the daily posts full of wit, fun for life, extraordinary writing. Such a sensible outlook on life without any bullshit.
I did visit the site daily, then checked in weekly and still now always with the hope that Rush just took a break.
Always loved his posts full of insight into Thai culture, much deeper than so many others ‘farang’ actually living in Thailand.
My thoughts are with his mother and Noon.
Rush you ARE missed. Rest in Peace.
Chris said:
Like many, I’m pretty saddened at this. It was an awesome blog and I based a great trip to BKK off the back of it.
My trip and travels wouldn’t have been anywhere near as rewarding if it wasn’t for him and all his wonderful work.
To many more great times, and thank you!
LittlePrince1977 said:
Dear Surfcrest,
I find myself late to this party…just stumbled across the blog May 4, 2016. Even though my time in Thailand was 1997-2006 during which time I lived there 2001-2003 and in Chiang Mai rather than BKK… reading the stories on this blog brought back so many of my own memories…especially the Thai idiosyncrasies… got to love’em or hate’em- “sabai-sabai” (trans: Take it easy, don’t sweat the small stuff- IT IS ALL SMALL STUFF) I learned well and that level of patience continues to serve me well.
I was so sorry to hear that this site’s writer has ended…we all do. But so gracious of you to restore the site in his memory and to give it a just and right end. But it is not an end since people are continuing to find and continuing to read it, and find what they read to touch them, resurrect memories, et. al.
His whole blog about the “Tawan” boys was especially poignant for me. Neophyte to BKK (and Asia as well– which has no connection to Thailand) in May ’97…age 42… I stayed at the Tarntawan Hotel…arrived at 11:30p using the bus from Don Muang Airport–lost, after wandering on foot for 30 min., I hailed a tuk-tuk– for what turned out was only a block walk– he was happy to provide me with his service…
And then I am at the Tawan Club by 12:15a (closing time was 1am). Offed a young man, Dui, a muay thai fighter, and spent most of the night learning to count, “one to ten”, in Thai. That is not a euphemism for something nasty… it is what I did– my choice.
14 months later I returned and spent the month of Sept. ’98 with Dui traveling north and south… my love affair with a bar boy. In 2006 I returned to Tawan Club, seeing the same Captain as in ’97 to confirm what I had heard…Dui had died due to AIDS…most likely (knowing his lack of gay sex) due to shared tattoo needles.
My many other experiences in the “Land of Smiles”…so many of them were well expressed, in one way or another, by the writings in this Blog:
-Thai’s lack of directions and poor maps – drove me mad.
-Lack of foresight, Why did you not let me know? Response: “I tell you now”.
-beads inserted under penal skin.
The writer of this blog captured them all so well…without being negative. I love Thailand and the Thai people… and I learned so much that continues in my life today, ten years since I last set foot in Thailand.
I thank this site for being a history receptacle of the gay expat/tourist experience in Thailand.
Mitchell
Sacramento, CA.
Andi Cheok said:
Rest In Peace, Rush.
Thank you for this blog which made my virgin and subsequent trips to BKK fun and with realistic expectations.
You will be missed.
david hopkins said:
Logging into his musings was one of my weekly office rituals (of course when no one else was around) and I was perplexed when the site was no longer updated. Over the years I actually felt like I had gotten to know the fellow, and was so intimately engaged in his conversations with Noon (and the endless pictures of cute naked fellows!). Reading this post and now knowing that he is no longer around makes me so very sad, though I think it is a just memorial to his adventures to have the pages up (not to mention the trove of information is immense that he shared). So, I guess, a virtual thank you…and rest in peace.
gray-haired boy by the sea said:
This is a very good blog website – the life in the red light districts of thailand…. of what life is really like… Thank you very much for passing on your experience to us… you will be remembered; and you have good friends who maintain your website in your absence… I cannot help but reminisce on my own clubbing years before, which i had to stop and move on.
May you rest in peace.