Boy George, photographed three years ago by Ariadne Barroso, in Brazil.

Heads up all you 40-somethings: androgynous Culture Club icon Boy George will be deejaying in Phuket on May 26, at Seduction disco, just off Soi Bangla.

The Boy – real name George Alan O’Dowd – has recently been making up for lost time following his release from prison in the UK on 11 May last year, after doing  four months of  a 15-month sentence for assault and false imprisonment.

After his release he was tagged with an ankle monitor  and placed on curfew for the remained 11 months of his sentence. Last month, as soon as the tag was off, so was he, on an exhausting world tour, deejaying in 27 countries in just over four months.

On May 23, he’ll do a gig at Lima Lima club in Pattaya, followed by Phuket and then a night at Bed Supper Club in Bangkok on the 27th.

Down in Bangla, with its myriad persons of indeterminate gender, he should be a big hit – one of his main claims to fame is his own dubious orientation, though it took him quite a while to admit he was gay. In one interview, with chat show host Russell Harty, he famously ducked the question, saying that he preferred “a nice cup of tea” to sex.

His recent spell behind bars was not his first brush with the law. He was arrested a couple of times in the UK on suspicion of  drugs possession in the 1980s, and spent five days doing community service in New York five years ago for falsely reporting a burglary.

Despite what he once referred to as his “dark periods”, he has been, and remains, a prolific artist.  Since Culture Cub disbanded in 1986, he has released eight studio albums, six deejay albums, four EPs and 56 singles. His most recent single, Amazing Grace, was released in March and he has another, The Pentonville Blues, due out any time.  He also wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music for a stage musical, Taboo, which was performed in London and New York in 2002.

Oh yes, and he still found time to write two autobiographical books, Take It Like a Man and Straight, both best-sellers. And he has his own fashion label, B-Rude.

Next month is his 49th birthday, but there’s no sign he’s slowing down at all. The one night in Phuket will be a must-go. To get on the guest list go to the Seduction Facebook page or call +66 (0) 8 1188 1230. Boy George’s MySpace page is here.

All beauties - not a beast in sight.

If there’s one thing Bryan Lunt likes, it’s a party. And why not – he now has his own party venue, the suggestively named Climax at the top of his own love pad development – sorry, apartment development, Absolute Bangla Suites, just off the infamous womb of Patong, Soi Bangla.

Bryan, who spent a long time as a timeshare caterpillar, burst out into full butterfly (and yes, we use the word butterfly advisedly) mode a couple of  years ago when his name and that of the Absolute Group, of which he is chairman, seemed suddenly to appear on a bunch of chic property developments.

Party president Bryan Lunt with two of his staff, all chosen for their wit and inteligence.

One is Absolute Bangla, then there’s Club Absolute in Pattaya, David Lloyd Absolute Beach Resort On Tong Krut Beach, Koh Samui (endorsed by former British tennis ace David Lloyd), and Absolute David Lloyd Beach Nakalay in Phuket.

Absolute is also into hotel management. That started with the Absolute Sea Pearl Resort in Patong, run by the admirable Supachai Ruamsamu, who formerly ran the Royal Phuket City Hotel in Phuket Town and then the Club Andaman Resort in Patong. Absolute Resort Management now has seven resorts in  its portfolio.

But back to the party, at the rooftop Climax club. On the right as you enter is the expansive kitchen, presided over by Chef Stephan  Bouwman (formerly of the chic BYD Lofts), while on the left is the huge bar and, beyond it, the pool. The fourth quadrant is occupied by a generous seating area with deejay booth and stage at the kitchen end.

The magical Bonnie Anderson.

On the night – November 28 for those of you who were, oddly, not invited – the music was presided over by Paul “DJ Doris” Norris from 91.5FM, and the band was fronted by the amazing Bonnie Anderson. Bonnie’s one of those people who, when you listen to her pumping out R&B, you think, “What’s she doing here, in Phuket? She’s too good for this place.” But she’s been here a long time, so we guess she really likes it.

Absolutely delicious.

And, of course, the beautiful people were there in large numbers. We especially recall the Absolut Vodka girls (what other drink could it be?) in their white sheaths and vibrant metallic wigs (Yes, it’s hot, one of them confessed.)

So: Bryan, good vibes, a big bar, vodka girls, a fine bite of two to eat, lots of beauties and very few beasts. Does this sound like a place to go? Keep your ear to the ground for the next big party there. With Bryan presiding, there’s sure to be another soon.

Oh, and lest we forget, when you’re up there, ask to take a look at the suites themselves. The decor is stunning, each has a Jacuzzi, and the possibilities seem pretty much limitless.

Bangla Suites

The evening of January 29th heralded the grand opening for the new Absolute Bangla Suites showroom on Soi Bangla in Patong. It was an occasion fraught with festivities, free drinks, and laden with quite a few of the respected members of Phuket’s upper crust. An altogether enjoyable experience which is becoming more and more common on our beautiful island, despite growing economic concerns.

However, such global issues seem to have skipped the minds of our hosts, the Absolute company, who in partnership with North Shore Real Estate, are building and selling one of the most highly sought after pieces of property in Phuket.

Named after the infamous Soi where it is situated, Bangla Suites is the epitome of luxury. Leaving the front doors of the complex, one simply has to take a thirty second walk and find themselves breathing in the party atmosphere that has made the tourist town of Patong so famous. It is also a stone’s throw from the lovely Patong beach. Being surrounded by fun night life, great cuisine, and coastal relaxation, it would be hard to regret purchasing a Bangla Suites home.

The showroom suite is 64 sq meters. It comes fully furnished with top of the line linens and sofas, two flat screen Samsung televisions, and a state of the art kitchen. The counter tops are all made from Egyptian Galaxy Granite, directly imported, and the artwork hanging on the walls is local and original. The cabinetry has a seven layer lacquer finish. Entrances to the balcony are available through the bedroom or living area, and once you step outside on your new patio, you won’t want to go back. Every suite comes with a built in Jacuzzi on the balcony.

Another nice feature about the suite is the customizable nature of the room’s mood. One can control the intensity of the lights for whatever feeling they desire, and the jacuzzi comes with its own built in control panel which lets you choose from several different colors. Red for those heated moments, blue for the times you want to just relax, or green on St. Patrick’s day. The front of the building will also have its own mood as well, with color changing lights to suit any occasion. This will definitely make the Bangla Suites building a real eye catcher.

Canadian architect Barry James Sullivan describes the Suites as “One of the most unique developments on the island in recent history.” The project is the only one of its kind in Patong. 54 luxury apartments each with their own jacuzzis, all of them beneath a helicopter pad roof, a five star restaurant able to seat 92 people, as well as a bar, swimming pool, and fitness center. You can work out, eat, swim, and drink while enjoying a beautiful ocean view afforded to you by being in the middle of Patong.

Everything about the showroom channeled the vibrant energy that makes Patong. The bright red cabinetry and linen, or the black polish of the walls, and even the see-through glass door leading to the bathroom are all tell tale signs that remind you of exactly where you are.

As standard practice with luxury apartment buildings, the higher you go, the better it gets. The penthouses of Bangla Suites are promised to be beyond our expectations. From what we’ve seen of the showroom, they probably will be.

The new purchasing concept that Bangla Suites incorporates is called fractional ownership. What it essentially provides is a very reasonable price for a very extravagant item. Fractional ownership allows you to hold a share in the suite of your choice on a given time frame. During the month(s) that you choose to pay for the home, it is all yours, along with all the services provided to full time owners. Currently, Absolute is offering a deal to buyers interested in trying out the fractional ownership concept. They will pay for the rental of a thirty foot long speedboat free of charge with the purchase of your suite. All you have to buy is the gas and beer.

If you enjoy staying in Patong that you are considering a permanent residence there, a place to which you can retreat whenever you like, then the Suites are the best way to go about it. “Bangla Suites offers you luxurious independence – a hideaway where you can do what you want, when you want, together with who you want!” This is the philosophy coined and preached by the Absolute and North Shore Real Estate marketing teams, and that is what should be considered by any prospective buyer.

Bangla Suites has almost fully sold out. A mere three months are left before construction is fully completed. Fractional ownership prices start at 600,000 Baht, and the superb penthouses are going for 18 million. For more information visit www.BanglaSuites.com