splinter1949

From The Thai Enquirer
PM’s deputy secretary Natreeya Thaweewong came out to defend why Srettha’s charter
flight to the UN General Assembly cost 30 million Baht.
Her response came after recent calls by political activist Somchai Srisutthiyakorn
to look into why the flight cost so much. She explained that an e-bidding system was used to secure a reasonable price.

Thai Airways initially asked for 25 million Baht, but due to increased fuel prices,
the cost rose to 30 million.
 
Natreeya broke down the total cost, which included 4.84 million for aircraft
expenses, 16.8 million for fuel, 1.47 million for food, 3.06 million for ground
services, and 3.8 million for operational costs.

Other passengers, including the Prime Minister's daughter and wife, covered their
own expenses. The government chose a charter flight to avoid inconveniencing
other passengers on a commercial flight.
=======================
From the Thai Enquirer
A famous Thai journalist Thapanee Eadsrichai (owner of The Reporter & a journalist for
Channel 3) came out to praise the fact that Prime Minister Srettha was traveling in
‘Business Class’ in the CHARTERED aircraft and that was because Srettha was trying to
save money for the country.

The fact of the matter is in a chartered aircraft passengers can sit in the toilet or on the
floor if they want (the money is already paid for the entire aircraft anyway).

Thapanee says that everyone is travelling in Business class and not 1st class not
knowing that there was no 1st class in the aircraft he was traveling in.

Thapanee seems not to know that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has only 22
business class seats and 234 economy class bringing in a total of 256 seats with
no 1st class seats.

She said that the Prime Minister chose the 787-8 Dreamliner and had to sit
in business class instead of sitting in first class but stated that he did so to
save money.

From Pattaya News

First, thank you for reading this article. I am Mr. D Paul Baird (Volunteer at The CSC Rayong since 2006) here in Thailand.
Today, I would like to request your help in supporting children who are infected or affected by the HIV/AIDS virus. Please take a moment to visit our English website at www.hiv-aids-kids-org. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at aidskids@hotmail.com. If you are in Thailand and would like to visit us, please let me know. I will make the necessary arrangements for your visit and show you our center.
I’d like to emphasize how crucial it is to hear from a sponsor and share their experience. Please read and share this voice from our sponsor, Daniel Schwarting: “I feel that I am truly making a difference for my sponsored child, Chaem, by supporting The CSC Rayong Sponsorship Program. This enables the wonderful work of The Camillian Social Center Rayong, Thailand, to continue into the future.”
If you are in Europe or Germany and would like to make a direct payment for the project in Rayong, Thailand, you can do so through the following channel:
For the St. Camillus Foundation of Thailand:
Bank: Bank of Ayudhya Branch: Map-Ta-Phut Branch, Rayong Account Number: 229-1-29336-3 (AYUDTHBK) The preceding is a press release. The statements are entirely those of the author and the Camillian Social Centre of Rayong. The Pattaya News does not accept donations on behalf of organisations and encourages interested readers to contact them directly.
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Given how close Jomtien is to Pattaya I would really take a look at both unlessyou are only there for a day. Why limit your options for the sake of 10B?

Although Jomtien does not have go-go bars, the host bars offer many more boys to pick and choose from, so lack of go-go bars is not a problem.  There is one bar, DoDo, in Jomtien Complex which does have some dancing boys which is  a nice treat. 
The largest gay scene is in Jomtien Complex, aka Supertown. There are 6 go-go bars in the Boyztown area and 2 go-go bars in Sunee Plaza.
I should mention that Jomtien Complex is about a 15 minute ride by Baht Bus(10 Baht) from Pattaya or a short motorbike ride (80Baht)  or a Bolt Car ride(100 Baht).

I really wouldn't worry about whether boys are offable, it will be very obvious and most are offable for the right price.
Prices are negotiable based on lots of different factors including time of year, popularity of the boy, your age and looks, whether his rent is due, what time it is, etc. If you don't like the price move on as there are lots of boys. 
Yes, there is often an off fee if you take someone from a bar or massage shop. If you don't want to pay one, check for the boys online rather than at their place of work.
It's personal preference whether you prefer bars, massage or apps. They all have their pros and cons. I prefer massage then apps and rarely go to the bars these days. Others prefer the bars. It's personal choice, there is no right or wrong. 
As I said though, don't worry about it. The concerns you have before you go will be swept away once you get there and you'll find your own preferences very quickly.

in Pattaya  you may find some in BoyzBoyBoyz bar in Boyztown.
In Bangkok don't forget about Moonlight and Jupiter, not just Tawan.
No idea about other places you mentioned, others may say something but I'd say if you want pyramids , go to Egypt or Mexico, not Turkmenistan. You interested in churches, go to Europe, Ethiopia or Latin America , not Laos or Saudi Arabia.  You like muscles , stay in Bangkok and forget about Hat Yai or Hua Hin.

yes, I noticed it yesterday, I can open profiles and see the main picture but can't go any further. And no, I'm not going to pay for any subscription , I rather  pay for drink in the bar.

Everyone's experiences and limits are different. Here in numerical order for short time:
500 is still accepted for street trade (Saran Rom Park) and I do some of my business there.
800 is the minimum tip for 1 hour for most boys in Saphan Khwai and Inthamara massage places, and I do some of my business there. Fee for massage shop separately.
1000 is what I pay for boys from apps in Bangkok or in gogo bars in Pattaya (Winner Boys, Nice Boys). This is my upper limit but many here pay much more regularly.
1500 is the minimum boys in gogo bars in Bangkok ask for and some bars in Pattaya (Toy Boys, Classic Boy Bar former Cupidol). I don't pay that and I don't go there.
2000 seems the average gogo boys in Bangkok ask for.
I have been asked for 2500 online once, no sorry.
I have been asked for 5000 online once, no sorry. Cute and popular on Twitter, but I have my limits.
 

Day 2.5
To resist the urge of showing up in the bar early, I tried to distract myself by focusing on work and when that proved to be futile, decided to switch to the apps.
Grindr got a reasonable buffet of guys with varying rates quoted with the most common ranging from 1500 to 2000. This can be argued as reasonable if you account for savings from not having to pay entrance, drinks and off fee. But where is the fun in that? What caught my fancy was a good drizzling of gorgeous African guys. This reminded me of how much I miss and want to go back to Brazil but plane fare remains laughably high from where I came from (even my SA friends are unable to visit home).
I exchanged message with one of them who said he's from Ghana. He quoted 4000 and I responded with a non committal reply as I have plans to be out and about that night. We traded WhatsApp details just in case.
When i can no longer contain my excitement, I decided to taxi towards Surawong and treat myself to a foot massage. At least I can enjoy people watching while someone got firm hold of my feet preventing me from marching straight to the bars!
After the massage, I decided to head to Tawan. The nice beret wearing Uncle hastily ushered me inside while trying to explain that it's a "BDSM boy show" I responded with a wink and  he smiled. The interior did not change since I visited last year. I noticed though that there's a set of stairs leading to a second floor/platform/stage. Not sure if it's new or I didn't notice it previously as I was sitting quite far inside away from the stage last time.
One thing I appreciate with Tawan is the fun, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The guys roam around socialising with guests. I even saw one guest with his hands inside the guy's short for like forever. No judgement but I hope he gets an off or a generous tip! 
Maybe I'm getting old but I swear Tawan's clientele especially the Asians are getting younger and younger. My gaze was low-key fixated to a couple of cute twunk until I reminded myself my intention of being here. 
From my peripheral vision I saw a Tawan guy sat beside me but I tried to play it cool. He then introduced himself as Tun (?) and a couple of minutes later, when he starts getting comfy and cheeky, his hand found its way under my shirt giving me massage and whatnots. We kept on chatting during the show reminiscing how the old site across the street was better and how Tawan is now mainly a "show bar" and how rarely they get boy drinks or offed now. I just shrugged my shoulder saying that maybe its low season and hopefully things will be better for him in a few months. He said most guys in the bar goes for around 3500 to 4000 with a few going as low as 3000. I nodded and just gave him a smile.
I was really enjoying my time with him when my phone starts beeping. I stepped out and it was the Ghanian guy who suddenly had a change of heart and lowered his rate to 2500. You gotta love lean season! With that information, I tipped my Tawan guy and bid Surawong good night.
I was a bit paranoid meeting with this Ghanian guy because I'm in an air bnb outside the Silom area and I'm not sure how the guards will react when I bring a guy to my unit. My fear turned out to be unfounded as we even got a smile and a salute from the one of the security guys when we entered. You gotta love Thailand!
In the apartment, we wasted no time and things escalated and got steamy quite quickly. The session was so intense and tender at the same time. He looks much better in person and well built. I could just look at him the whole day. However, there's still that Brasilian or specifically a Carioca "factor" missing from the experience. I can't explain it.
We had a good chat after and I was getting wary that the post-play chat is taking quite a while he might be thinking of staying the night? It's a personal policy that I don't let people I met first time via app to stay overnight - only those working in the bars or GP Sauna in Brazil once I have done my due diligence.
So I pretended and said that I would like to go out and eat and asked him what his plans are. I think he got my cue and said that he'll be making his way home. I paid as agreed plus a reasonable tip. He's too gorgeous not to be given a tip to be honest.
After sending him on his way, I went back to my room and gave myself a high five for a productive day two!

I have been a reader of this forum for many years and have benefited greatly from such rich information from active posters - My holidays to Europe, South America and Asia particularly Thailand have been fun and extra spicy because of info generously shared here. Now I feel compelled to share my recent Thailand experience to hopefully help out and keep the info following.
Please note that English is my second language and I would like to apologise in advance for any grammatical and other errors. Please be kind to me ❤️
I spent 12 glorious days in Bangkok but I will only be writing about days with spicy bits so as not to bore you people with my other vanilla shenanigans.
Day 1
Arrived at Suvarnabhumi mid morning and immigration lines are flowing smoothly. Quite pleased that they no longer require those arrival cards. I always feel paranoid losing that other half  you need to show upon departure. 
After sorting out Sim card and mobile, I marched straight to the designated airport pick up spot as per email sent by the klook app. Pick-up was efficient and after a couple of minutes, I am already in the middle of Bangkok traffic giddily planning what and where to go next.
Check-in with air bnb was straightforward. Maybe because its low season, they allowed early check-in. I'm a bit wary with air bnb's legal status in Thailand. However, I am working remotely and hotel wifi is highly unreliable from experience.
After checking-in, I decided to give the classics a try so off to Arena I go. My trifecta used to be Arena, Prince and Hero - still wishing Hero will be back!
While walking towards Silom Plaza, I can't help but notice how much  cannabis shops have setup and mushroomed everywhere! Not my scene but it was surprising how the number quickly grew since I visited last year.
As I enter Arena, things flow like clockwork, The Uncle will ask you to sit by the couch, show you that Dogeared rate sheet and will try to sell you the most expensive package. Why do I have to pay 300thb more just for a different type of oil? I would rather use that to tip my man of the day and get better outcome later. While this is happening, them masseurs will assemble in front trying to get your attention. I always tell myself to calm down and take my time but I always feel low-key flustered with the attention which forces me to hastily make my selection.
I chose this cute guy with a toned built. He introduced himself as Tom. He then asked me to shower and he stepped out of the room. I was quite disappointed that he didn't join. He returned with his massage stuff and took a shower before starting the massage.
The massage itself was uneventful. It's that usual routine where they seem to focus on your leg area. I was starting to get bored and started yawning (so tired from my 13hr flight) and I think Tom took it as a cue to start the more interesting phase. He compensated well on his lack of massage skills and was quite surprised when he initiated a kiss. His body to body massage is quite good together with other things that comes with it. He then asked if I can make him cum  which I gladly obliged. I must say it must be his first one for the day!
I left Arena quite satisfied and decided to walk through Surawong to plan what tonight will hold. Had a quick bite at Foodland and took a taxi back to my place for a quick nap.
Waking up refreshed, I made my way to Hotmale. I must've arrived too early and the selection that night looks not that promising. I made a mental note to give it another chance and visit it again later. I then went inside screwboys purely out of curiosity. The place was smaller and that night seemed to attract a lot of smokers. I'm not a delicate person but I really struggle with cigarette smoke. There's quite a number of potential offs but I am not in the mood tonight for reason I don't know. I made my way out and had a good yarn with one cute  waiter from Laos. We exchanged Line which led to a number of proposals later to meet and be his boyfriend!
Decided to call it a night and grab a coffee from Starbucks while waiting for my taxi. Starbucks is now open 24 hours compared to closing at around 8pm last year. Sign that things are indeed normalising?
Overall, first night feels like a success even if i am going home alone. My session in Arena I guess is enough to cap off my night.

Charlie, the owner of Dodo and Sunee Intimate bars is joining the management team of M Bar and told me that he will soon fix the air conditioning. It has been very warm inside the bar which has made me avoid going there. One advantage of M Bar besides the boys is the low volume level of the music compared to being blasted by noise in the main Complex Soi most nights.

Last night I was in Jomtien Complex aka Supertown and visited M Bar which had many boys but the Air Con was not operating so quite warm inside. So on to DoDo Bar which was nice and cool and had about 6  nice boys doing dancing for the customers and it was busy with customers. Drinks were about 130B
Regarding Sunee Plaza, a few night ago was there, as were about 8 other customers and about 8 lads on stage. Somewhat like the good old days! Drinks at 100B.

Is why I refuse to....

getting old is no fun

Went to Nice Boys Fri night.....had about 10 anorexic looking guys and 2 or 3 decent ones. A group of Europeans came in and put money on the table for the first 3 to cum. One of the guys that came 2nd,  was interesting to me, but after he nutted, He looked spent and uninterested ( I can relate)...so much for that.

X-Boys were in underwear and they had about 3 or 4 performers that were dancing around naked, not hard. I was interested in one, but apparently not gay and not offable, wtf?

I can't remember if Dream Boys were in underwear or not....some might have been, but can't be sure. 

Tomorrow is my last night, no stand out massages or sex to report on, pretty lame time in Pattaya this trip.

I went to Sansuk sauna tonight for my first time ever....was much nicer than I expected based on reviews. About 80 people mixed ages, nothing wow, but I hooked up and got off.

About 15 years ago I passed a volleyball court near Jomtien beach (still active?) and among the players I noticed very dark muscled hunk, who I thought was exceptionally handsome. He was really the only dark guy among the pale players. He noticed me…and I did not visit my hotel for 3 nights as I moved to his flat. Good times, I got emotionally attached and when I left I think I gave him 400 euros or so (that was my initiative, he just asked some support). I also remember various „solutions“ like me renting a condo and he would always be for me when I am there😃. That sounded a bit too much though..

you not alone

Very handsome guy 🙊

Agree with the recommendation about PJ's Place. Only stayed once but enjoyed it and the owners really looked after their guests. Excellent breakfast cooked to order. It's also relatively close to Adam's Apple. My Way and Circle bar. The owners will also arrange an airport pick-up if you wish.
https://pjs-place.com
Also not far is the old town bordered by the moat. This is packed with temples from the very old Wat Chedi Luang in the centre -

and the large Wat Phra Sing -

to many smaller temples in and around the old city, including the relatively unknown Wat Chedi Liam. Well worth exploring over 2 days.

In the grounds of Wat Chedi Liam
 



As @vinapu suggested, a trip up the hill to Doi Suthep is a must. You can find cheap songthaews or local drivers prepared to take you up and back after your visit. There are also official taxis which will be considerably more expensive. But the trip is well worth it. Once you arrive, there is a longish staircase before you get to the temple itself.


@forky123 has mentioned Doi Inthanon National Park and again I totally agree. Again you'll need transport to get there but it's not too far out of town. Since December is quite recenty after the rainy season, the waterfalls should be spectacular. 

Doi Inthanon is to the south. Go north and see an orchid farm and take a ride on an elephant around one of the elephant sanctuaries (although the authorities prefer you not to do this!). Also as suggested by @forky123 you can consider a trip to the hilltribes. 
My one disappointment was the gay bars located in a soi across the road from Le Meridien hotel near the Night Bazaar. But that's just my view!
 

Sorry, these did not upload first time.

Allied to this topic, i find there is almost nothing worse when on a beach holiday than to go to the seating area and find all the loungers either occupied (usually just a few) and the others with unfurled towels, books and other paraphernalia to 'book' them for later use. If at a hotel I cannot count the number of times I have registered complaints and nothing is done. The same happens around swimming pools. Sometimes, the selfish idiots who have 'bagged' these chairs decide not even to use them. They return a few hours later just to retrieve their belongings. If seating/loungers are for use by all guests, personal items placed to 'bag' seats should be removed and placed in a location where they can be later retrieved.

don't compare messy HongKong with Thailand which is   known as Switzerland of Asia 

From The Thaiger
Suvarnabhumi International Airport, governed by Airports of Thailand (AoT), is set to soft-launch its Satellite 1 (SAT-1) terminal on September 28, following a successful full-scale trial involving 180 mock passengers and their luggage. The trial aimed to evaluate operations at both the SAT-1 satellite passenger terminal and the primary terminal, with Thai Airways offering assistance by supplying cabin crew and aircraft for the process.
Kittipong Kittikachorn, the Director of Suvarnabhumi, stated that the trial encompassed a comprehensive operation involving aircraft, incoming and outgoing passengers, transfer passengers, baggage handling systems, and cargo operations. The Immigration Division 2, the Cargo Clearance Customs Bureau, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand and Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services were also present to oversee the operations, he added.
Kittipong also revealed that two additional trials are scheduled for the coming days, with Thai AirAsia X and Worldwide Flight Services Bangkok Air Ground Handling Co Ltd conducting one on Tuesday, and Thai Vietjet conducting another on September 20. The latter trial is specifically designed for departing passengers on night flights.
The director further elaborated that between September 28 and October 28, the SAT-1 terminal will be open to three airlines: Thai AirAsia X, VietJet Air, and Emirates, during the soft-opening phase. The new terminal is projected to be fully operational by December this year, ultimately providing a solution to reduce congestion at the main terminal.
The SAT-1 terminal, which has a capacity of handling 15 million passengers annually, will enable Suvarnabhumi Airport to cater to up to 60 million passengers a year, marking a significant 33% increase. The terminal boasts 28 contact gates, with eight specifically designed to accommodate Code F aircraft (the double-decker A380 superjumbo jets) and the remaining 20 for Code E aircraft (Boeing B747s).
The terminal’s four-storey facility spans a total floor area of 216,000 square metres, with two underground floors dedicated to hosting the Automated People Mover (APM) train system and other systems. The APM train system, designed to connect the SAT-1 and the existing passenger terminal, can accommodate 210 passengers per train, or roughly 6,000 passengers per hour. Each trip on the train, which has a maximum speed of 80kph, takes a mere three minutes, Kittikachorn added.
The commencement of the SAT-1 terminal will eliminate the need for international passengers to take shuttle buses to their gates, boosting convenience and efficiency, reports Bangkok Post.

From Thai PBS World
Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward party, who almost became Thailand’s 30th prime minister, has been included on Time magazine’s “TIME100 Next” list for 2023.
Pita is the only Thai listed by the US-based magazine among leaders whom they identify as shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership.
The list is divided into five categories: Artists, Phenoms, Innovators, Advocates and Leaders.
“The only thing more stunning than Pita Limjaroenrat’s election victory was the radical agenda he ran on to achieve it,” according to Time’s Charlie Campbell.
The Harvard graduate’s upstart Move Forward Party secured 38% of the votes in Thailand’s May 14th polls, by promising to bridle the nation’s armed forces and the revered royal institution, scrapping its controversial royal-defamation law and ending military conscription.
“But the byzantine nature of Thai democracy means Pita’s path to power has been blocked by an unelected Senate and a flurry of legal challenges,” wrote Campbell.
Pita said his political awakening began in New Zealand, where he was sent to school as a young man. Today, the father of one may not be prime minister at his first attempt, but the reformist movement he leads promises to keep building momentum, especially among young Thais.
“I’m proud of what we have achieved,” Pita says. “We can do a lot more to provide checks and balances in parliament and speak on behalf of the people.”
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the now-defunct Future Forward Party, the predecessor of Move Forward, made the list in the same category in 2019.

Thanks. And, btw, can I borrow some money for my BF's water buffalo?  It was hurt during the dentist appointment as well?