Gay Bangkok

From Coconuts Bangkok City Hall announced late Thursday afternoon that it was canceling all official New Year’s events to combat the spread of COVID-19. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said it was acting at the urging of the COVID-19 task force, which in turn cited WHO guidelines for the move, which comes as the disease’s so-called Omicron variant continues to spread. Though only several dozen cases of Omicron have been confirmed, about 100 more suspected cases are being studied. The city’s typical New Year’s Eve countdown events will not go forward, nor will a prayer pow wow planned outside City Hall. Private parties may go on as planned …

Many videos are available on the history of Patpong but the latest entry includes up-to-date stuff I found of interest. Sadly, it reports that Madrid has closed, although it doesn't say if it's temporary or permanent (hoping very much for the latter). From The Thaiger How did the first Go-Go bar in Thailand start? Patpong is more than just a seedy bar area. It is in fact a puzzle with so many pieces containing unique stories, history and legends. Everyone who has been to Thailand has their own perception regarding Patpong and all it has to offer. Follow Bangkok Pat as he lets you have a deeper look into the world of Patpong. https://thethaiger.com/news/nati…

The picture above is just click bait, but the video itself is interesting in its own way. Perhaps those more familiar with the non-touristy parts of the city can tell us where it was filmed. It has English subtitles (I think machine-translated but good enough to get a sense of what it's about).

From Richard Barrow Twitter site A useful graphic showing all of the MRT stations in #Bangkok where you can transfer to other forms of transportation such as BTS, railways, and boats.

The following article appears in The Thaiger. I am not an expat and have no personal knowledge of retirement schemes. ======================================== If you are planning to retire in the beautiful and tropical country of Thailand, there are many places which will suit your interests. From up north in Chiang Mai where the air is cooler (during winter), to a tropical oasis in the southern islands, Thailand has it all. Of course, with all things, you will need to get sorted before you come and we are right here to help. How much money will I need to retire in Thailand? For example, a retired couple should be able to live quite comfortably on £1,600 (…

From Bangkok Post The operator of the electric boat service on the Chao Phraya River will add two new routes to and from Sathon pier on Dec 20, and charge a flat 20 baht rate until the end of this month. Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Ratanasate on Tuesday said the service, MINE Smart Ferry operated by E Smart Transport Co, will feature a “Metro line” between Sathon pier and Rama VII pier and a “City line” running from Sathon pier to Pinklao pier. The Metro Line will have 12 trips on weekdays from 6.05am-5.45pm and 18 on weekends from 7.30am-6.45pm. The City Line will have 36 trips per day, from 7am-6.05pm. Mr Atirat said three electric boats wi…

From Thai Enquirer Thai retail giants Central Group are set to buy the famous British luxury department store chain Selfridges, UK Media reported on Thursday. The deal, which is hoped by Selfridges ownership group to be completed before the end of the year, is believed to be worth some 4 billion pounds sterling (179.22 billion baht). The Times, which first reported the news, said that the terms of the acquisition by Central Group was agreed to in “the last few days.” Selfridges, which was founded in 1908 and an integral part of British popular culture, is owned by the Canada-based Weston family and runs 25 stores worldwide including its flagship store …

KK is 4 store houses down from Ogasms Spa. There are multiple gay venues on this street. KK is a bit more upscale than Ogasms. They have some cute guys there as well. Here is the list from yesterday. https://twitter.com/kkmassage1?lang=en

One of our most distinguished Forum members messaged me yesterday to learn if I might be visiting Thailand in December when he is planning on returning. I replied that I was undecided but would most likely not return until I knew more about the situation on the ground, especially about clubs and other venues for meeting the boys/guys/men. I live on the west coast of the US and finding flight to Thailand is a bit of an issue. I used to fly via Japan or Taiwan and those are not available at the moment. I'm also unsure about the insurance as I'm 77 (there it is for all to know) and most of the insurance options pause at 75. So, a few thing to iron out...what is…

From Bangkok Post Nearly a third of total job losses in five Asian countries were linked to tourism, with an estimated 1.6 million jobs lost, according to the International Labour Organization. Evidence from Brunei, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam showed that job losses in tourism-related sectors in 2020 were four times greater than in non-tourism industries, the United Nations labour agency said on Thursday. n Brunei, the tourism sector was hard hit, with employment and average working hours contracted by about 40% and 21% respectively. It was the country that saw the largest difference between employment losses in tourism and non-tourism rela…

From Bangkok Post Bangkok has been designated blue, a new tourist-oriented area with few Covid-19 restrictions including on alcohol, alongside Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket, starting Monday. But on Friday, an announcement was published on the Royal Gazette banning any public gathering "in a manner that could spread the virus". Violators face two-year imprisonment and/or a fine of not more than 40,000 baht. The announcement, signed by Gen Chalermpol Srisawasdi as head of a Covid-19 team, takes effect on Monday. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Friday that CCSA had approved key changes to the zoning…

From Thai Enquirer Thailand’s central bank and bankers’ association on Tuesday vowed to repay money lost to a recent e-commerce fraud within five days, and to tighten the security system to detect unusual transactions. Last weekend, local media reported fraudulent debit and credit card transfers in various commercial banks that drained money from bank client’s accounts in successive transactions. The central bank said those transactions were not associated with leaks in bank databases but third-party overseas e-commerce platforms. (Read more here) Since October 1, the central bank revealed that around 10,700 debit and credit cardholders had seen money…

From The Thaiger Beleaguered national airline Thai Airways says they’re resuming full service on 36 foreign routes to destinations in Europe, Asia and Australia, many of which will resume from October 31. The implementation is in step with the Thai government’s commitment to reduce many of the impediments and restrictions to international arrivals from November 1. The decision was announced today by Thai Airways Executive Vice President for Commerce Non Kalinta. The massively expanded and updated schedule will operate as the airline’s winter flight plan, going into effect on October 31 and following the flight schedule until March 26, barring any unforeseen circ…

Just happened to see a link for this new place on Twitter. (@krubb_bkkth) Looks like a men-only Korean or Japanese spa type place with grooming, sauna, gym and massage. Their tag line is "Men's Only Social Club and Sauna/ Gym / Adult Playground" BTS Phrakanong exit 4. I don't see a website link. Just their twitter account and Line account (@krubb). Looks like advanced booking is currently required

I was just surfing the web and googled Arena and it's come up as permanently closed, looks like another casualty of the time but I would hope it will rise again. Whilst it wasn't the flashest of places I always thought of it as my rough and ready go to place, it was the one that I could always count on to get an ok to good massage and a very good shagging and mostly by well hung guys. Certainly never left Arena disappointed and had it on my to do list once we could travel back to Thailand. I had a bit of a laugh on my last trip when choosing the guy I asked for tops only and to see the number of hands go up and so quickly too, good times.

From CNN Travel Riverside restaurant owner Titiporn Jutimanon was convinced a bout of flooding in Thailand could be the end of a business already struggling from the pandemic. But with the rising tide of the Chao Phraya river this week came an unexpected opportunity. Instead of closing for the floods, Titiporn's eatery is making waves, staying open for customers who are reveling in shin-deep dining, and the thrill of avoiding the rush of water set off as boats go by. "Customers absolutely love the waves," said Titiporn, who runs the Chao Phraya Antique Cafe in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok. Videos have gone viral on…

I've read and heard nothing but good things about this venue on Silom Soi 4. Although it's not business as usual (pre-covid), this place has attracted a loyal following of expats and locals. The food gets high marks as does the staff. This photo from a current post on its Facebook site shows some local entertainment that adds some class to an already classy affair. Check it out. I don't think you'll be disappointed. https://www.facebook.com/PrideBarAndRestaurant

From Bangkok Post Cash-strapped Thai Airways International (THAI) is putting three aircraft along with a flight simulator up for sale, as a part of its financial rehabilitation plan and the ongoing push to modernise its ageing fleet, a source in the company said. According to the source, the ailing carrier has listed three of its Airbus A330-300s -- aged 12.2, 12.5 and 12.6 years, respectively, for sale -- along with a flight simulator for the aircraft model. THAI has 15 A330-300s in its fleet, but they wide-bodied jets are currently grounded because of the minimal demand for air travel amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In total, the flag-carrier has…

Planners of this scheme seem to believe that if you are a wealthy foreigner then you must automatically be a cigar-smoking alcoholic who'll move to Thailand so you can buy a bottle of Scotch at almost the same price you can at home. From Bangkok Post The Customs Department is preparing to lower duty on the import of alcoholic beverages and cigars by 50% for five years in line with the government's economic stimulus and investment promotion package. Patchara Anuntasilpa, director-general of the department, said the cuts are in accordance with the Sept 14 cabinet resolution involving plans to revive the post-Covid-19 economy by encouraging wealthy foreigners …

From Pattaya Mail / NNT The Thai government aims to promote employment for Thais in industries facing labor shortages and is preparing to recruit Thais to fill more than 400,000 jobs left vacant by migrant workers due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Labor Minister Suchart Chomklin said on Saturday that several industries are in need of laborers, as migrant workers have been prohibited from returning to Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Imports of migrant workers were suspended in March last year when the pandemic worsened, resulting in labor shortages, and employing Thai workers was one way of dealing with the problem. He said that Thais aged up to 35 wi…

From The Thaiger / Asean Now A real estate firm is predicting that the market for condos in Thailand hot spots like Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya will be rebounding soon with the continued trend of foreign investment, a majority of which are Chinese. China has long been a driving force in purchasing condos in Thailand. The business development manager of Saensiri is predicting the uptick once Covid-19 outbreaks are wrangled and brought under more control and general vaccinations across the Thai population increases. The manager said that foreigners make up the vast majority of those purchasing condos throughout Thailand, with 80% of the 325 billion baht industry …

From Coconuts Bangkok A 2019 file photo of Rongros, a riverside restaurant in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Photo: Coconuts Bangkok In the latest display of competent policy-crafting, the actual regulations enacted last night contradicted last week’s announcement that vaccinations would be required to eat at restaurants in the 29 hardest-hit provinces, including Bangkok. According to what was made formal last night, those eateries need only cap capacity at 75% or 50% for indoor, air-conditioned venues. What was published in the Royal Gazette made no mention of a vaccination requirement. Responding to the confusion, Suwanc…

Although I applaud any legitimate means of reducing the spread of the virus, I have to wonder if most conventional mouthwashes don't also have a similar effect. From The Nation Mahidol University’s Faculty of Dentistry has patented a new mouthwash that reduces the spread of new coronavirus via patient’s saliva The new mouthwash was developed in research with Mahidol University’s Faculty of Tropical Medicine to find a formula that help reduces the spreading of Covid-19. “We use a safe amount of hydrogen peroxide as an anti-viral agent plus other ingredients that will not irritate the oral cavity,” said Dr Surakit Wisutthiwatthanakorn, director of Mahidol…