thaiophilus

You could take the "sprinter" train all the way to Ubon Ratchathani and make that your base for exploring eastern Isaan.
Soutbound, take a train to Phetchaburi for a few days. There are temples and caves (surprise!) and a hilltop palace/observatory.
The Mae Hong Son loop from Chiang Mai is worth doing, too. Public transport is probably not adequate so you will need wheels of some description (I did it in a hire car.)

You could take the "sprinter" train all the way to Ubon Ratchathani and make that your base for exploring eastern Isaan.
Soutbound, take a train to Phetchaburi for a few days. There are temples and caves (surprise!) and a hilltop palace/observatory.
The Mae Hong Son loop from Chiang Mai is worth doing, too. Public transport is probably not adequate so you will need wheels of some description (I did it in a hire car.)

I second the recommendations for Blue Elephant (the Bangkok one)
Baan Chiang (on Th. Sri Wiang near BTS Surasak) is another restaurant similar to Mango Tree. I haven't been there for a while but it used to be pretty good.

The nearest I've been to having anything checked was when checking in, the airline staff noticed that the dates of my arrival and departure flights were more than 30 days apart but I had no visa. I explained that I was planning to visit a neighbouring country (using a different airline) so I would be making two visits of less than 30 days. They took my word without proof and that was the end of the matter.

The nearest I've been to having anything checked was when checking in, the airline staff noticed that the dates of my arrival and departure flights were more than 30 days apart but I had no visa. I explained that I was planning to visit a neighbouring country (using a different airline) so I would be making two visits of less than 30 days. They took my word without proof and that was the end of the matter.

For boy bars there's nothing much outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, but there are of course the apps.
For more touristy hotels/restaurants/things to do, you could try, in no particular order: (caveat: I don't know what's open or closed at present, so the following is based on my pre-2020 experience. Check before travelling.)
Chiang Rai. Small town, a few things to see, plenty of restaurants. (Has one boy bar, in principle. Whether it has any boys to your taste is another matter ) Phetchaburi. Another small town. take the train from Thonburi to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai) and stay for a few days: it's a touristy town with plenty of restaurants and tours available. Sukhotai, if you like ruins. (Also Ayutthaya but that's only a day trip from Bangkok.) Khao Yai National Park (small national park but only a 3 hour bus journey from Bangkok), stay 2 nights, do "day" and "night" jungle tours. Khao Sok NP (much bigger; fly to Surat Thani then minibus to Khao Sok), stay a few nights and book some excursions via your hotel. there are lots of other national parks but the above are the most easily accessible.  

For boy bars there's nothing much outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, but there are of course the apps.
For more touristy hotels/restaurants/things to do, you could try, in no particular order: (caveat: I don't know what's open or closed at present, so the following is based on my pre-2020 experience. Check before travelling.)
Chiang Rai. Small town, a few things to see, plenty of restaurants. (Has one boy bar, in principle. Whether it has any boys to your taste is another matter ) Phetchaburi. Another small town. take the train from Thonburi to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai) and stay for a few days: it's a touristy town with plenty of restaurants and tours available. Sukhotai, if you like ruins. (Also Ayutthaya but that's only a day trip from Bangkok.) Khao Yai National Park (small national park but only a 3 hour bus journey from Bangkok), stay 2 nights, do "day" and "night" jungle tours. Khao Sok NP (much bigger; fly to Surat Thani then minibus to Khao Sok), stay a few nights and book some excursions via your hotel. there are lots of other national parks but the above are the most easily accessible.  

For boy bars there's nothing much outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, but there are of course the apps.
For more touristy hotels/restaurants/things to do, you could try, in no particular order: (caveat: I don't know what's open or closed at present, so the following is based on my pre-2020 experience. Check before travelling.)
Chiang Rai. Small town, a few things to see, plenty of restaurants. (Has one boy bar, in principle. Whether it has any boys to your taste is another matter ) Phetchaburi. Another small town. take the train from Thonburi to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai) and stay for a few days: it's a touristy town with plenty of restaurants and tours available. Sukhotai, if you like ruins. (Also Ayutthaya but that's only a day trip from Bangkok.) Khao Yai National Park (small national park but only a 3 hour bus journey from Bangkok), stay 2 nights, do "day" and "night" jungle tours. Khao Sok NP (much bigger; fly to Surat Thani then minibus to Khao Sok), stay a few nights and book some excursions via your hotel. there are lots of other national parks but the above are the most easily accessible.  

For boy bars there's nothing much outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, but there are of course the apps.
For more touristy hotels/restaurants/things to do, you could try, in no particular order: (caveat: I don't know what's open or closed at present, so the following is based on my pre-2020 experience. Check before travelling.)
Chiang Rai. Small town, a few things to see, plenty of restaurants. (Has one boy bar, in principle. Whether it has any boys to your taste is another matter ) Phetchaburi. Another small town. take the train from Thonburi to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai) and stay for a few days: it's a touristy town with plenty of restaurants and tours available. Sukhotai, if you like ruins. (Also Ayutthaya but that's only a day trip from Bangkok.) Khao Yai National Park (small national park but only a 3 hour bus journey from Bangkok), stay 2 nights, do "day" and "night" jungle tours. Khao Sok NP (much bigger; fly to Surat Thani then minibus to Khao Sok), stay a few nights and book some excursions via your hotel. there are lots of other national parks but the above are the most easily accessible.  

In Nice Boys you can sponsor a chuck-wow contest with 300B.  Put the money in one of the pots they use for the check-bin, bang it on the table and (some of) the boys will race to be first to cum and take the prize money.

For boy bars there's nothing much outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, but there are of course the apps.
For more touristy hotels/restaurants/things to do, you could try, in no particular order: (caveat: I don't know what's open or closed at present, so the following is based on my pre-2020 experience. Check before travelling.)
Chiang Rai. Small town, a few things to see, plenty of restaurants. (Has one boy bar, in principle. Whether it has any boys to your taste is another matter ) Phetchaburi. Another small town. take the train from Thonburi to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai) and stay for a few days: it's a touristy town with plenty of restaurants and tours available. Sukhotai, if you like ruins. (Also Ayutthaya but that's only a day trip from Bangkok.) Khao Yai National Park (small national park but only a 3 hour bus journey from Bangkok), stay 2 nights, do "day" and "night" jungle tours. Khao Sok NP (much bigger; fly to Surat Thani then minibus to Khao Sok), stay a few nights and book some excursions via your hotel. there are lots of other national parks but the above are the most easily accessible.  

In Nice Boys you can sponsor a chuck-wow contest with 300B.  Put the money in one of the pots they use for the check-bin, bang it on the table and (some of) the boys will race to be first to cum and take the prize money.

In Nice Boys you can sponsor a chuck-wow contest with 300B.  Put the money in one of the pots they use for the check-bin, bang it on the table and (some of) the boys will race to be first to cum and take the prize money.

For another relaxing day excursion, how about Bang Krachao/Phra Padaeng. Taxi from Khlong Toei MRT to Wat Klong Toey Nok, or from Bang Na to Wat Bang Na Nok, from either place take the ferry across the river, hire a bicycle and spend a few hours in the jungle.  Or stay overnight among the trees at the Bangkok Tree House - somewhere a bit different for a night out of the city (and somewhere to impress a friend if you take one 😉)

For another relaxing day excursion, how about Bang Krachao/Phra Padaeng. Taxi from Khlong Toei MRT to Wat Klong Toey Nok, or from Bang Na to Wat Bang Na Nok, from either place take the ferry across the river, hire a bicycle and spend a few hours in the jungle.  Or stay overnight among the trees at the Bangkok Tree House - somewhere a bit different for a night out of the city (and somewhere to impress a friend if you take one 😉)

For another relaxing day excursion, how about Bang Krachao/Phra Padaeng. Taxi from Khlong Toei MRT to Wat Klong Toey Nok, or from Bang Na to Wat Bang Na Nok, from either place take the ferry across the river, hire a bicycle and spend a few hours in the jungle.  Or stay overnight among the trees at the Bangkok Tree House - somewhere a bit different for a night out of the city (and somewhere to impress a friend if you take one 😉)

(usual disclaimer; in "normal" times these were all straightforward but I don't know about the present, so check before travelling.)
Khao Yai: From Bangkok it's the most accessible national park - 3 hours or so by bus, minibus or train to Pak Chong. Hotels provide guided jungle tours and transfers from the bus/train station. The usual deal is a 2-night stay: arrive afternoon, take afternoon/evening tour including millions of bats leaving their cave at dusk. The following day take an all-day tour. There are longer options including overnight camping.
See for example  Bobbys Jungle Tours.
 

(usual disclaimer; in "normal" times these were all straightforward but I don't know about the present, so check before travelling.)
Khao Yai: From Bangkok it's the most accessible national park - 3 hours or so by bus, minibus or train to Pak Chong. Hotels provide guided jungle tours and transfers from the bus/train station. The usual deal is a 2-night stay: arrive afternoon, take afternoon/evening tour including millions of bats leaving their cave at dusk. The following day take an all-day tour. There are longer options including overnight camping.
See for example  Bobbys Jungle Tours.
 

I too visited the museum not long after it opened and had a personal guided tour conducted by  "Sucky" Kriengsak, a former colleague of "Cowboy" Edwards (yes, that Cowboy, as in "Soi Cowboy".) Most enjoyable.

Yes. Like you I think I have a better understanding of the probabilities than when I first visited in the 1990s, but there is still a slight possibility of having an ill-chosen visitor.
We all three (hotel, me, visitor) know perfectly well why the visitor is visiting, but since in Thai culture actually mentioning it would cause loss of face to all of us, that won't happen. SInce having the hotel check ID might prevent some unpleasantness (even if it's unlikely), and there is no downside, I think it's a good thing.
 

Yes. Like you I think I have a better understanding of the probabilities than when I first visited in the 1990s, but there is still a slight possibility of having an ill-chosen visitor.
We all three (hotel, me, visitor) know perfectly well why the visitor is visiting, but since in Thai culture actually mentioning it would cause loss of face to all of us, that won't happen. SInce having the hotel check ID might prevent some unpleasantness (even if it's unlikely), and there is no downside, I think it's a good thing.
 

Yes. Like you I think I have a better understanding of the probabilities than when I first visited in the 1990s, but there is still a slight possibility of having an ill-chosen visitor.
We all three (hotel, me, visitor) know perfectly well why the visitor is visiting, but since in Thai culture actually mentioning it would cause loss of face to all of us, that won't happen. SInce having the hotel check ID might prevent some unpleasantness (even if it's unlikely), and there is no downside, I think it's a good thing.
 

... but without the Irish charm?

Take the Chao Phraya Express (ordinary orange flag, not the tourist boat) from Sathorn (Saphan Taksin BTS) to the end of the line at Nonthaburi, enjoy the scenery on the way, lunch in a riverside restaurant, return. (caveat: I don't know if the tourist-oriented restaurants are currently open but it's a big non-touristy town so you won't starve.)
Cost: 2x15B plus whatever you spend on lunch.

Take the Chao Phraya Express (ordinary orange flag, not the tourist boat) from Sathorn (Saphan Taksin BTS) to the end of the line at Nonthaburi, enjoy the scenery on the way, lunch in a riverside restaurant, return. (caveat: I don't know if the tourist-oriented restaurants are currently open but it's a big non-touristy town so you won't starve.)
Cost: 2x15B plus whatever you spend on lunch.