halfhansum

Having survived Christmas and on opening my computer this morning to find  messages from several Forum members whom I’ve met with in Thailand over the past few years, I decided to overcome my innate  procrastination and write a report on my mid-November to early December visit to Pattaya and Bangkok.
 
I left California on November 14th very tired and a bit reluctant to get on another plan.  I’d been in Thailand in August, back home for two weeks, then two weeks in China, then after a stop at home, in Washington DC for ten days.  Now it was time to cross the Pacific again. This isn’t a whine, rather, my journal from the time reminds me that I was questioning why I was heading to Thailand so soon.
 
There wasn’t a good answer beyond the enjoyment I get when I’m there.  And, maybe, avoiding where to be the “extra” at a family or friend’s Thanksgiving here in the US.
 
So, off to SFO, United Airlines flight to Tokyo, economy plus seat on the aisle, with an empty seat next to me.  In Tokyo, in the UA lounge, I recharge my electronics, read email, take a shower, walk around the terminal to give my legs some exercise. United has booked me through to Bangkok on ANA.  At the gate, I learn ANA has upgraded me to Business Class. A gift from ANA and a bulkhead window seat with a dining menu and a nice Bordeaux to help pass the time
Weather is good and plane is early arriving in Bangkok at 11:30 pm.  To my surprise, the plane parks somewhere away from the terminal and we are all put on buses to the terminal.  This is a first on ANA for me. And a time burner waiting for the bus to fill and then the travel to immigration. Exiting the bus, I look for my greeter./expediter ( I learned from PaulSF that for a fee -$30 approximately - someone will meet me as I exit the plane (in this case the bus) and walk me quickly through immigration, find my luggage, and get me to my transportation.
 
So, ten minutes after exiting the bus, I was with my driver, and on my way to Pattaya.  Caveat: I did not have to wait for luggage as I only had carry-on. I used Mike’s of Pattaya who have never left me down. 70 minutes later, I’m in my room at the Poseidon.
 
Now, it’s time to provide some background information...when last in Pattaya, i offed Pease from @Home  and Sophy from Toy Boys (note for those doubling back on my reports, the names are as they appear on Line, in the earlier telling, I was depending on how I heard them say their names).  I had been hearing daily from Peas saying he’d wait after @Home closed for me - as I was due to arrive after 2am. O.K. Sophy I’d planned on seeing later in my visit. Last visit, we’d had a 3-way which went well...I’d also been looking at the apps and was texting to Max, who said he wasn’t a Money boy and sent some great photos.
 
So, I leave the Poseidon and head to @Home, much of Jomtien has closed down for the night, Peas isn’t there.  I text him...he’s at a birthday party at one of the big clubs. Can I wait until 4am? Reply: No.
 
At this point only Sun Bar is still open with maybe a dozen guys around the bar.  I join them, I buy a drink for the cute boy who gave up his seat at the bar to me.  We talk and I chat with the bartender. There is one incredibly handsome guy in a form fitting black tank top talking with another guy very intently.  Missed opportunity? For most of the flight from Tokyo, I’d been thinking about hooking up with Peas and having him welcome me to Pattaya.  So, I was a bit bummed, I could off the guy who I’d bought a drink but it would have been for convenience - which isn't a bad thing.
 
Then, the incredibly handsome guy was free...the bartender had been watching me watching and asked if I was interested.  (There are mamasans in all shapes and guises) I was very interested, so he introduced me to Doh. Doh was in the bar to borrow a phone as his was broken  He didn’t work in the bar but was friends with many of the guys who did.
 
The introduction went well, I bought us each a drinks, thanked the bartender, there was an off fee - even though Doh didn't work there. I considered it as a tip to the house and left with Doh for the Poseidon.  He was impressed by the room, i was very impressed by his body, we showered together and joined together in the bed.  My unexpected change of plans provided a surprise bonus and a truly fine start for my visit.



 

You have to remember that the boys must be freezing , with the air-con full blast ...

You seem to have got it all upside down.

You have to remember that the boys must be freezing , with the air-con full blast ...

You have to remember that the boys must be freezing , with the air-con full blast ...

Boy drink was 130. I had a big night in Jomtien Complex on Thursday so only had a Coke Zero at 89 baht. Last time i visited Winner bar my beer was 99 baht. Great value and there were more hot guys working last night than on previous visits. They really have prepared well for this time of year.

What is left of Sunee was very busy last night. The beer bars had some large groups of farangs. Winner Bar was packed with customers and about 15 go go staff witb a few stunners if you like twinks. They don't like running the air con much at Winner bar but the guy next to me complained and they cranked it up a bit. I think i will go back to Sunee tonight, If only Jomtiem Complex could have some go go bars.

I had boys calling me boyfriend before we even met!
 
Getting such emotional boys is a big problem for me, as it wastes a lot of time chatting (they seem to be more interested in chatting than in sex).
 
But the record is held by a Thai women, who got me calling a wrong number, and after some chat wanted to marry me, and failing that at least borrow 10,000 THB.

New Recruits getting to know each other
 
..

New Recruits getting to know each other
 
..

New Recruits getting to know each other
 
..

`The Prep probability is that you don't acquire the virus, that probability goes down with numerous encounters.`
 
Wrong ....The probability remains the same, no matter how many encounters .. Just as the Roulette wheel has no memory, the virus does not know how many encounters you have had ...The odds remain the same for every encounter ..

France and Germany

Please enlighten us and name one arabic/muslim nation that is democratic, peaceful and tolerant to non-muslims and gays.

I probably should have went I to one of the twilight bars for old times sake. But I like that the bars are finding new locations and offer drinks at lower prices.
 
One thing is for sure, I'm not buying any staff drinks at a cost of 300 baht or more each drink. But at the time of this post 300 baht is equal to $9.14.... still, I'd rather put the money in the hand of the guy I'm sitting with and letting him decide if he wants the drink or the cash. I wonder what he will choose?
 
Will the bar suffer?
 
Better them than me.
 
Hey! Who got me riled up?
 
I did it to myself?
 
Oh...

It just tells me there is something for everyone. You like the gogo scene, pattaya has it. You like the host bar scene? Pattaya has it. You like to have fun behind the screens? Pattaya has it. You like to have fun in the Sauna? Pattaya... you like to hook up with the apps? Again, Pattaya. Want a massage on the beach sand? You guessed it. Want a massage in a shop. Yep.
 
What do you want? Let Pattaya help you with that...

This is an example of something that bothers me a great deal. I behave, when traveling, as closely to the norms of the country I'm in as I can. I'm ready to be called an Islamaphobe but this habit of acting out because of "offense" at behavior witnessed is characteristic of Islam.

now those who are finding presence of Arabs in Sunee offensive  are somewhat vindicated and justified in their opinion .
 
This is what happens when people living in the cage of their closeted and oppressive countries get some fresh air travelling somewhere else - they choke on it unleashed. 
 
For getting drunk he hopefully receives well deserved 57 lashes upon return home.

`For getting drunk he hopefully receives well deserved 57 lashes upon return home.`

 

But he might be forgiven, for upholding the `Religion of Peace `    . 

`For getting drunk he hopefully receives well deserved 57 lashes upon return home.`

 

But he might be forgiven, for upholding the `Religion of Peace `    . 

Thanks for that CurtisD.
I have a question about your use of cumulative risk to determine the probability of transmission.
If I flip a coin the chance of it being heads is 50%.
If I flip 100 coins and then flip another the chance of it being heads is still 50%. The results of the previous coin tosses do not affect the probability of the outcome of a new coin toss.
Therefore if the risk of PrEP failing in one encounter is 8%, as you say, then why would it be any greater for subsequent encounters?

I'm not a mathematician and college probability courses are a very long way off. But, I think you have it reversed. The casino edge is that you lose: 7%;  over time that figure accrues and the probability that as you play you will, inevitably, lose is the cornerstone of casino profits. Thus the best advice has always been when you're ahead, cash in and go home.
 
The Prep probability is that you don't acquire the virus, that probability goes down with numerous encounters.

A "trick" question to ponder ...
 
Given that the infection probability (as mentioned) is low for a single encounter for those people on Prep but will be much higher for multiple encounters, how is it that a similar low starting winning probability in casino will get even lower over time? Shouldn't it be the case that the winning probability goes up for multiple bets?

The police are raiding Powerboys right now. Police officers are standing and blocking the door and it looks like they're checking boys ID inside. Seems like only this bar is targeted and all other bars in Sunee open as usual.

Last holiday I offered to buy my friend some new shoes to go with the outfit I had bought for him. He declined, telling me I had already spent too much money on him. I promised I would buy them for him on my next visit.
 
Two days ago we went looking in Central Festival after dinner. Like me, he's very fussy - he knows exactly what he wants - and we spent a lot of time going from shop to shop.
 
At the end of it all, he found three pairs he liked but none was exactly what he wanted. I told him to keep them in mind and that the next day we could go to Royal Garden, as there is one very nice shoe store there.
 
So yesterday afternoon after coffee, off we went. Unfortunately, that store has now closed, but he saw one pair in another shop which he liked. It was a Thai brand I'd never heard of.
 
"Ok. Now we have 4 pairs you can choose from. But there's no need to rush; we can look a bit more."
 
The only place we hadn't visited was the shoe section in the department store. He soon found a pair which I knew he really wanted. His eyes lit up. They were perfect.
 
"Ok. Let's buy these," I said.
 
He looked at the price and hesitated.
 
"Mmm...I think shoes in Royal Garden ok."
 
"Which ones do you really want?"
 
After some hesitation he said "I like these ones."
 
So I bought them.
 
Some Thai guys have a reputation for being money-grabbing, greedy buggers whose main aim is to extract as much as possible from the "rich" farang. This guy is living proof that such a reputation is definitely not always true. What makes his attitude more remarkable is the fact that he was brought up in abject poverty in a dysfunctional family. You'd think that could be a recipe for greed later in life.
 
His parents eked out a living growing rice. They lived in a hut with a thatched roof that leaked when it rained. His father was a soldier and was severely injured in a bomb blast. He spent months in hospital and unfortunately, became addicted to the medicine he was being prescribed.
 
After recovering, he no longer had access to the medicine so turned to methamphetamines. The result was catastrophic for the family as he became very violent and was unable to work. So the mother became the only breadwinner for her family of four children. The father died when my friend was nine years old.
 
He did not have a childhood; while his friends were out enjoying themselves he had to stay home and look after his siblings. There was no money for school - he only completed the first 3 years before having to go out an earn some money.
 
He was only nine when his father passed away. He found a job collecting tree bark up in the mountains. They worked him hard and paid him a pittance. So when he turned fifteen he left that job and started work at a cement factory. He had to carry 50 kg bags on his back. He's only a small guy and so found the work very demanding.
 
His next job was washing cars for 11 hours a day, again for very little money. He was exhausted.
 
His friend introduced him to a restaurant owner, who offered him a job washing dishes. He had to work thirteen hour shifts, often getting home in the early hours of the morning. He would then have to take care of his siblings.
 
When a friend told him about the money he was making in a gay gogo bar in Pattaya he decided he would give it a try.
 
He started at Happy Boys but was horrified when he saw the little "skirt" he was required to wear. And when a customer grabbed his cock he quickly knew this was not the job for him and decided to go back home. But his friend persuaded him to persevere - if you want to make really good money you have to try. So he stayed and eventually got used to it.
 
Now he works in a resort hotel and only comes to Pattaya when I'm in town. He'll go back after I leave.
 
When we got back to the hotel he looked up the Thai word for "generous." I explained to him that I didn't think I was being generous at all. If he weren't here I'd spend more than the cost of the shoes every single night in Pattaya, visiting bar after bar, tipping boy after boy, drinking Coke after Coke. Spending my holiday with him actually saves me money. Lots of money. All I am doing is spending some of that money on him instead.
 
I think he understood where I was coming from. But I'll happily accept the brownie points!
 
He has learnt well from the nightmare that he experienced growing up. He has become strong, independent and determined. He knows that there are no free meals in life - you have to work to get ahead. You cant just sit back and expect hand-outs.
 
Apart from a short period when he was swimming in the money he earned working at Kaos and blew it all partying with his friends and picking up the tab every night, he now saves every baht, much of which he sends home to mama each month. He hasn't gone out partying in all the years I've known him. Not being a drinker no doubt helps. He's been able to build mama a small house and buy himself a car.
 
I once joked that I thought I was in love with him. But it's not love I feel - it's total admiration and respect.
 
To my mind he's one in a million.