reader

Last time I was at Bonny Massage (next to Dick's Cafe), I had a one-hour oil massage and the manager collected a 600 baht minimum tip up front that I understood was passed on to the guy I chose (this was in addition, of course, to the house's fee of 600 baht). I ended up tipping an additional 500 baht directly to masseur for the satisfactory services rendered.

Although we didn't realize it at the time, and perhaps nor did Numazu, that a wonderful yet painful story was unfolding. I believe the vast majority of us have experienced at least one departure from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang where we had emotions similar to those that he shared. Many here, myself included, prize our butterfly status. And most the time, it's a reasonable--indeed necessary--way to approach our time there. Not often, but every now and then, we experience a disconcerting twinge in our gut as our plane races down the runway. We are all too well aware of the cause and very much want the time to pass rapidly until the flight attendant asks what we'd like to drink. That's the stuff we almost always omit from trip reports. It's goes to a place we'd prefer to keep to ourselves. Numazu did not and that, in the end, made all the difference in the pleasure we took from his writing. We were cheering for a happy ending and the promise of tales of future adventures. It's clear that he had a great time in Puerto Vallarta. But with all that behind him, the inevitable rendering of the heart replaced what was a gay man's adventure of a lifetime compressed into a matter of weeks. He's told us that he'll soon be returning and we selfishly hope to persuade him to keep us in the loop. But I suspect it won't be that simple for him. I understand if he's more guarded, more protective now. Once you open yourself emotionally to close friends or total strangers, it's easy to be hurt.

I assume that the Dusit "annex" is also part of the project. In the photo, the annex is that gray building to the left of the tower. It's about a dozen stores high and houses many additional, lower-cost rooms. This will take 517 rooms out of the upscale market in one of the more popular business/tourist destinations in the city. Good news for the rest of the industry in the neighborhood. The Dusit is the first building you see that announces that you've arrived in Silom. It's among the most indelible memories of my first trip. Will miss it.

Reassuring to know that no animals were harmed in the making of this video.

Maybe's there's a business opportunity here: massage training consultant. Guys with much experience like Vinapu, a447and Christian (all of whom meet the gold standard in all manner of massage reporting) would make themselves available, for a modest fee of course, to break in newcomers. Who knows? It could lead to a successor to Shameless Mack's matrix style of evaluation.

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — A shopping mall, condos, green space and more are coming to replace a 47-year-old landmark on the corner of Silom Road, which will be redeveloped into a mixed-use property, the Dusit Thani Group announced Monday. Once the tallest building in Thailand, the Dusit Thani Hotel will be demolished and replaced with a complex consisting of a hotel, residences, an office space, a shopping mall and green space, according to the announcement. The 36-billion baht project is a partnership between the hotel group and Central Pattana, which owns 30 shopping malls nationwide under the Central brand. Dusit Thani said the hotel will continue operating through June 2018. Development will then begin on the same land, the lease for which was recently extended another 60 years by the Crown Property Bureau. The new lease agreement will also add another 5 rai (8,000sqm) of land to the property. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/bangkok/2017/03/07/bangkoks-dusit-thani-hotel-gets-date-wrecking-ball/

You might try Pattaya.

From NY Times On most nights, the subterranean sex club Paddles in Chelsea is home to patrons — straight or gay, depending on the hour — absorbed in threesomes and other adventurous behavior. But on a recent afternoon, as dozens of men and women explored its low-lit rooms, the only sex was in the storytelling. The reason was “Adonis Memories,” an immersive work based on first-person accounts by men who frequented the Adonis, a gay porn movie theater that opened in 1975 and proved so popular in the seedy-city era of Times Square that it inspired its own film, “A Night at the Adonis.” Bought by a developer, the Adonis closed in 1989, around the time that two other theaters were shut down after the New York City health commissioner, Dr. Stephen C. Joseph, called them “an AIDS breeding ground.” A site-specific production of the documentary-theater company In Our Words, “Adonis Memories” features eight actors who wander through Paddles in its off hours providing frank and often X-rated accounts of furtive pairings and virginity-vanishing quickies at the theater. In the immersive spirit, shirts come off and pants are lowered with the audience just steps away. But there are also more poetic parts, tales of the Adonis as a refuge where men found companionship and romance before AIDS. Taking the axiom “you had to be there” literally, immersive theater productions — the multidisciplinary genre includes artful extravaganzas like “Sleep No More” as well as more raucous fare like “Drunk Shakespeare” — are resurrecting bygone chapters in gay history this spring. At a time when gay marriage is often greeted with a once-unthinkable yawn, and with anxiety about AIDS no longer omnipresent, these nostalgia-drunk shows are eager to provide audiences an experiential reminder of the dangers and pleasures of an earlier gay age. In addition to “Adonis Memories,” there’s Jeremy Lawrence’s “Lavender Songs,” a solo show set in a Nazi-era underground Berlin cabaret, where a drag queen addresses the audience during what might be his last performance. Two men drafted into the Army before World War II explore their sexual desires in “Seeing You,” a new movement-based show by Randy Weiner, a “Sleep No More” producer, and the choreographer and director Ryan Heffington that begins performances on May 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/theater/gay-histories-close-enough-to-touch-but-dont.html

You're right. I should have been more clear about the way I worded that. What I was trying to get across is that should Soi 4 gain in popularity from the arrival of this new Jupiter enterprise, I don't think it will accelerate the decline of Soi Twilight--or that soi on the opposite side of Surawong where the original Jupiter is located for that matter. Until I can again return to the LOS and kick some tires, I'm hoping that it will be a win-win-win all around because competition is good for the market as well as the libido.

Even without knowing exactly what the owner has in mind for the place, this should add an edge--a bit of sleaze, hopefully--to the soi. And I don't necessarily think it will diminish interest in Twilight--well, interest that hasn't already faded. Despite the frequent complaints we hear (many justified), I'm among those who continue to like the vibe. I'm not a big show guy and don't spend more than an hour or so there at a time, but it has become a frequent stop. It's a comfort level thing acquired over many years. I find Dick's Cafe a great perch to people watch and good, low-tech base to occasionally snatch passing eye candy (no app or off fee required). This new Jupiter incarnation gives us more opportunities inside Silom-Surawong, and all are within walking distance. We've got massage shops, go-go's, bars, restaurants and those fine little hands-on places clustered in the soi by Mango Tree off Soi Tarntawan. So concentrated are the opportunities that it makes the apps an aid to navigation but not necessary to accomplishing the mission. I view apps like I do a new car catalog: good for tweaking interest in available models but I prefer to then go to the showroom to see them in person to savor the new car smell. I'm sure Christian--and you other guys who like to run a hand over the fender--will understand (Thanks, Promsak, for posting the pics. They take the bite out of the frigid winter back here in farangland)

From USA Today REDDING, Calif. — The Transportation Security Administration has started using a new and more rigorous pat-down at airports, which one passenger this week likened to “groin scrutiny.” Nico Melendez, a public affairs manager for TSA, confirmed that the new pat-down procedures are supposed to be followed as of Thursday, but he was “limited on what can be shared” about them. He did say that the new "universal pat-down" doesn't involve checking any extra body parts, though. “This standardized pat-down procedure continues to utilize enhanced security measures implemented several months ago, and does not involve any different areas of the body than were screened in the previous standard pat-down procedure," a prepared statement from TSA reads. "TSA continues to adjust and refine our systems and procedures to meet the evolving threat and to achieve the highest levels of transportation security.” A Bloomberg story Friday quoted another TSA spokesman as saying that searches "will be more thorough and may involve an officer making more intimate contact than before." http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/03/03/tsa-rolls-out-new-more-intimate-airport-pat-downs/98713844/

Learned to fly in the Cessna 172 (and the 150) half-a-century ago and I suspect there are a few others out there who may have, also. Until reading this BBC article, I wasn't aware that it was the most prolific aircraft ever produced with over 43,000 copies coming off the assembly line. More impressive is that it's been in production, with few changes, since 1956. To you less enthusiast readers, there's a high probability that the cockpit crew piloting your next flight got its first taste of flying in this machine. In any case, perhaps this excerpt from the BBC link below may entice you to read on. If not, please forgive my parochial indulgence. It was also a Cessna 172 that teenage West German pilot Mathias Rust used to fly into the Soviet Union – and land in Moscow in an effort to promote world peace. At the height of the Cold War, Rust was able to evade the world’s most formidable air defence system, boasting thousands of aircraft and missile launchers, and landed on a bridge on the edge of Moscow’s Red Square. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170302-the-plane-so-good-its-still-in-production-after-60-years

Welsh Guy, good news is that you have time to consider your move: use it wisely and keep your options open. I think it's still a bit early to predict on how Brexit will play out regarding currency, although a trend seems to be developing. Bear in mind that sage investor advice: past performance is no guarantee of future results. Assume that you've already considered the biggies: age, health care options and availability, best/worst case income projections. Dismiss any thoughts of buying a new or second home overseas. The condo market in Thailand is unpredictable and fraught with uncertainties. Reasonable rental opportunities abound. Remain confident and keep reading the boards. That's the best way of getting the pulse of what's happening in Thailand and elsewhere. Members have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to share their mistakes as well as their successes. Good luck!

The fate of the young Burmese pair convicted of murdering two British backpackers in 2014 is back in the news after a Thai court reaffirmed their death sentences. Their case drew world-wide attention when Thai and international forensic experts criticized the validity of evidence prosecutors presented. From The Irrawaddy news site The NLD government is concerned after a Thai appeal court’s decision to uphold a death sentence handed down to two Burmese migrants for the 2014 murder and rape of two British backpackers on Koh Tao island, and has pledged to continue its assistance to the legal defense team. U Zaw Htay, the President Office’s spokesperson and acting director general of the State Counselor’s Office—both ministries head by the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi—said the government has reached out to the Burmese embassy in Thailand and members of the legal team in Bangkok in order to establish the best approach. Representatives from the Burmese embassy will pay an official visit to Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin next Friday, March 10, about which they have already informed the Thai authorities, according to U Htoo Chit, the director of the Foundation for Education Development, an organization that assists Burmese migrant workers in Thailand. Both Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are in good health and “are hopeful about their next appeal,” said Sein Htay, the director of the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN). MWRN staff and a Thai lawyer from the Lawyer’s Council of Thailand met the two men at Bangkok’s Bang Kwang central prison on Friday. “Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun said they were read the verdict of the appeal court on Feb. 23 at the Nonthaburi court, without the presence of their lawyer nor the translator,” U Sein Htay told The Irrawaddy on Friday. “The appeal court’s proceedings were not transparent,” added U Sein Htay, referring to the circumstances described by the defendants. Lawyers are reportedly able to meet the two Burmese men around once a month. http://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/govt-promises-to-assist-migrant-workers-sentenced-to-death-in-koh-tao-murder-case.html

Also found flying in and out BKK (on most major, international carriers) is nearly always cheaper and then relying on a low-cost regional carriers to visit other east Asia destinations. Fare structure certainly encourages travelers to use BKK as a base.

From Bangkok Post - The Ghost Tower Other pics and full article: http://property.bangkokpost.com/news/1208209/20-years-on-ghost-tower-haunts-city

When I stumbled upon this photo essay of a deserted Japanese island it reminded me of how this type of photography fascinates me. I wonder who once inhabited them. They'll always capture my imagination. Since there's so many great photographers on this board I figured I'd share some links. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/gallery/eerie-images-reveal-crumbling-remains-9947435 From NY Times - North Brother Island http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/magazine/isle-of-no-man.html From Sir Lounge Urban Photography - abandoned power plant http://www.slrlounge.com/urban-photography-abandoned-buildings-dan-marbaix/ From Smithsonian - Beijing amusement park http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/17-amazing-photographs-of-abandoned-places-180949341/

I, too, found these numbers so extreme that I'm inclined to suspect exaggeration. A bit of Googling found this 2008 CNN article with similar results. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/07/japan.geishas/index.html The article that appeared in The Nation was from Agence France Press (AFP), a legit wire service. So I believe that the phenomenon exists--and has for many years--but are the women interviewed for the articles playing the foreign reporters along? Wouldn't be the first time. I'm not ready to label it fake news; perhaps just embellished. Now here's an article from 2012 on what Japanese males can expect to pay for female companionship. I find it quite explicit and believable. (Note: prices to not appear to include additional services, a practice we readers are more familiar with). Admission fee: 3,000 yen Standard Course 20 min – 3,000 yen 40 min – 5,000 yen (only 3,000 yen for first time visitors) 60 min – 6,000 yen 2 hrs – 11,000 yen 3 hrs – 16,000 yen 4 hrs – 20,000 yen 5 hrs – 25,000 yen 6 hrs – 30,000 yen 10 hrs – 50,000 yen “Shimei-ryo“ (fee to pick the girl you want to sleep with) – 1,000 yen + 500 yen per hour Optional Course Customer sleeps in girl’s arm (3 min) – 1,000 yen Girl pats customer on the back (3 min) – 1,000 yen Customer pets girl on the head (3 min) – 1,000 yen Customer and girl stare at each other (1 min) – 1,000 yen Girl changes clothes (1 time) – 1,000 yen Girl gives customer foot massage (3 min) – 1,000 yen Customer gives girl foot massage (3 min) – 2,000 yen Customer sleeps with head on girl’s lap (3 min) – 1,000 yen Girl sleeps with head on customer’s lap (3 min) – 2,000 yen http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/japans-first-cuddle-cafe-lets-you-sleep-with-a-stranger-for-y6000-an-hour

From Phuket Gazette The Royal Thai Army has declared that sun loungers are now allowed in the 10 percent zone at Patong Beach. The decision was handed down Monday afternoon by army and beach management committee officials, who decided to reverse the Royal Thai Navy’s ruling declaring them illegal in December last year. The same outcome is expected for other Phuket beaches, but no timeline has yet been announced. Following the announcement, vendors at Patong Beach immediately brought dozens of loungers and other furniture down to the beach. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30307523

If you're headed into or out of the Silom-Sathorn area, prepare for even more bad news during much of the same period that runway work is under way. From Bangkok Post The Thai-Belgian bridge on Rama IV Road in Pathumwan district will be closed for 30-45 days for repairs after its steel structure was damaged by a fierce fire among some garbage bins stored underneath it on Tuesday morning. Thiti Songcharoenkij, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Construction and Maintenance Office, said a preliminary examination found the steel beams on the outbound (heading to Klong Toey) were bent after being scorched by the fire for an extended period, causing the traffic surface to subside. The city's traffic would certainly be affected by the closure of four traffic lanes. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1206404/thai-belgian-bridge-to-be-closed-up-to-45-days

Long delays described below bear no connection the the planned runway work but was caused by understaffed immigration check points. From Coconuts Foreign tourists were stranded in a long line at the immigration checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday morning. Morning News showed a video of a paranoia-inducing long line of travelers queuing at the immigration checkpoint to leave Thailand as only six out of eighteen counters were open for service around 8am on Sunday. The influx of travelers caused the line to stretch from the immigration checkpoint all the way to the check-in area, according to government radio channel JS100. http://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/crazy-queue-suvarnabhumi-airports-immigration-causes-travelers-miss-flights/

If you think Soi Twlight long-time rates are high, be glad you're not a woman seeking male companship in Tokyo where it can run into thousands of dollars. From Nation Multimedia: CIGARETTE SMOKE hangs thick in the air of a Tokyo nightspot as Aki Nitta sips champagne with a trio of sweet-talking Lotharios peddling fake love at premium rates. In a country which has lost its mojo, many wealthy Japanese women spend eye-watering sums on male hosts in return for an evening of sweet talk, flirting – and often sex. The 27-year-old businesswoman from Nagoya, spends around $10,000 (Bt350,000) a month on the object of her desire – a faintly androgynous beau with bleached hair and a boyish grin. But some big-spenders splurge over $100,000 in a single night to have their egos stroked by smooth-talking rental Romeos who themselves can earn five times that amount in a good month. There are a growing number of wealthy and successful Japanese women that have become frustrated with traditional dating and instead prefer to focus their romantic energies somewhere they are guaranteed to be treated well. Many women – ranging from 20-somethings to those in their sixties – lavish expensive gifts on their favourite hosts, buying them diamond watches, luxury cars, even apartments. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/life/art_culture/30307247

An official from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, accompanied by a host of local authorities, toured some of the Pattaya hot spots over the weekend and seems to think the problem is well under control. From Pattaya One Some of Thailand’s leading tourism figures descended on Pattaya at the end of big week in the resort’s often troubled history, to focus on the future development. Leading the way on a tour of Beach Road and Walking Street was Pongphanu Sewatrun one of the leading lights at the Ministry for Tourism and Sports. Also in attendance was the Banglamung district chief Naris Niramaiwong and other national tourism industry officials. Pongphanu painted a rosy picture of the resort’s future saying that many problems of the past had now been addressed. He claimed that the city was dealing with its crime problem successfully. Countering comments make in the UK media that Pattaya was a sex capital of the world and full of nothing but prostitutes he said: “Pattaya has had some problems but it is a great place and a very important place for the tourism industry. We want it to continue to develop into the future. “There is nothing to worry about,” he added. “Pattaya is a quality place that is of a world standard”. http://pattayaone.news/en/upbeat-pattaya-future/

True. Individual tastes may vary but there are some universal truths. WB's needs more publicity than the Thai boards can provide alone. It needs a FB page and inclusion in the listings that other Asian and Chinese gays, in particular, follow. That may well require some professional help in getting it placed in the right slots but that should prove money well spent in the greater scheme of things.

A successful manager (as this Dane surely is) very likely has a schedule with waypoints he needs to tick off if Winner Boys will remain viable. He knows the seasons and can predict the potential traffic. He knows customers, like restaurant-goers, are drawn to the most crowded places. He's fully aware that he must maintain the original buzz that has prompted the positive postings on all the message boards which function like Trip Advisor ratings. Sounds like a good business plan. But even the best plans can go awry as firecat points out. He needs to keep staff pacified and happy because they are--in the final analysis--his primary asset. This is where it will get tricky: fail at this task and customers (and revenue) go south like birds in winter. If firecat's premise is correct--and there's little reason to think it's not--then its up to ex-pats to make or break this place, particularly in low season. Not being being one (I'm writing from 10,000-mike away), I can't speak for them but I gather from board postings that they like what they see. They've long offered suggestions on what a difference good management of a Sunee bar could make. Now they appear to have it. If, on the other hand, kokopelli's premise is correct that dwindling libido coupled with the convenience of on-line shopping make Winner--or anyplace like it--a dinosaur, then this is just a momentary blip in a continuum that knows only one direction. In any case, Winner Boys may well represent the last best attempt to keep Sunee on its feet. Until the reinforcements arrive again from the western front, it's up to you, besieged ex-pats, to fight the good fight!