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From Pattaya Mail / Thai Visa
 
PATTAYA:--The death sentence has been handed down for Pattaya’s Dolphin Roundabout, which will be replaced with a four-way intersection, although the landmark sea mammal will remain.
 
Pattaya spokesman Pinit Maneerat on Aug. 9 confirmed long-circulating rumors that the traffic circle soon will be history. Plans are underway to install traffic lights and, somewhere, a new home for the dolphin statue.
 
Pinit acknowledged the considerable public sentiment for keeping the landmark traffic circle, which has sat at the junction of Beach, Second, North and Naklua roads for more than 20 years. But the signal-free interchange has become too much of a traffic bottleneck and has to go, he claimed.
No date has been announced for its removal.

NOTE -- Christianpfc has reported on several of the theaters, including the Phanom Yotin Rama pictured below (on same soi as 39 Underground sauna), described in this article.
 
Excerpts from Khaosod English
 

 
BANGKOK — Back in the golden age of cinema, more than 100 cinema houses beckoned audiences throughout the capital.
 
But decades ago, as viewing became a private act, they faded away. Most were simply knocked down and replaced. Yet still, a few live on. Nearly invisible in the fabric of the city, they can be found in unlikely places, adapted to new purposes on the margins of society.
 
“Stand-alone theaters used to be city landmarks and the only mass entertainment place for people of all ages,” said writer Sonthaya Subyen, who roamed Thailand with his colleague Morimart Raden-Ahmad to capture the remnants of movie halls nationwide for a photo book called “Once Upon a Celluloid Planet: Where Cinema Ruled.”
 
According to Sonthaya, stand-alone theaters flourished in Thailand between the ‘50s and the ‘70s before their popularity waned in the 1980s with the advent of VHS tapes and players.
  “Similar to attending temple fairs, locals dressed up to go to stand-alone theaters although they didn’t go watch any film,” Sonthaya said, explaining that the theaters were usually situated in city centers and markets, where they became community gathering points. “They supported one another, the theater and the community.”
 
A few minutes walk from Robinson Department Store on Charoen Krung Road sits a decomposing, Art Deco icon. Since the 1950s, the Prince Rama has been surrounded by rows of two-story wood houses – including famous rice porridge shop Jok Prince. It too showed skin flicks for some years before shutting its doors nearly a decade ago.
 
Prince Rama

 
Some of Bangkok’s legacy theaters show old gay porn films and charge 60 baht to patrons who engage in casual sexual encounters.
 
Three such theaters are the Phahon Yothin Rama on Phahon Yothin Road, Chinatown Rama on Yaowarat Road and Laemthong Rama on Rama IV Road in the Khlong Toei district.
 
Chinatown Rama

 
Laemthong Rama

 
 
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/arts/2017/08/18/find-hidden-treasures-bangkoks-golden-age-cinema-photos/

From Pattaya Mail / Thai Visa
 
PATTAYA:--The death sentence has been handed down for Pattaya’s Dolphin Roundabout, which will be replaced with a four-way intersection, although the landmark sea mammal will remain.
 
Pattaya spokesman Pinit Maneerat on Aug. 9 confirmed long-circulating rumors that the traffic circle soon will be history. Plans are underway to install traffic lights and, somewhere, a new home for the dolphin statue.
 
Pinit acknowledged the considerable public sentiment for keeping the landmark traffic circle, which has sat at the junction of Beach, Second, North and Naklua roads for more than 20 years. But the signal-free interchange has become too much of a traffic bottleneck and has to go, he claimed.
No date has been announced for its removal.

your reasoning is correct but if you don't give him money he goes to sleep hungry and the next day he is at the same points

Well, if anyone would know, it would probably be an old wife. Lol

We are all different people with different thoughts, ideas and priorities. Boy69, you obviously are not happy in Bangkok. You have mentioned many times your dissatisfaction.
So I'll just counter that I love Bangkok, I hang out in Twilight all the times. I have a great time there. I, and many of my friends don't have issues with the things you have problems with. It's not a good thing or bad thing. We are all just different people.

That statue was recently moved to X-Boys.
 
Re Bangkok vs Pattaya.
I wouldn't want to live in Pattaya, but it's great for one trip (3 days 2 nights, arriving in the evening and departing in the morning) per month. I am living in Bangkok, the prices in Soi Twilight (even with transportation (bus) and hotel costs, Pattaya comes out cheaper!) and the fact that I could go there any day deter me from going to bars here. And in Bangkok I would take boys to my room (with all my stuff, and being busy traveling I just manage to keep my room in a state where I can invite someone, and still I worry "I hope he will not look into that corner, there is too much dust") vs in Pattaya to hotel which I prefer. None of these points apply to tourists.
 
As for daytime activities in Pattaya, I made a list:
http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2014/03/daytime-activities-in-pattaya.html
There is enough to keep me entertained for months, but I have visited everywhere over the years. And most of it is not accessible by public transport (advantage of Bangkok where you can get almost everywhere by public transport).
 
Overall: the advantage of Bangkok is that it's 2 hours by bus from Pattaya, and the advantage of Pattaya is that it's 2 hours by bus from Bangkok.

Hey it's my thread that refuses to die is back J! And since the thread is almost up to 35k in views, I gotta put in my 2 cents here somehow (and I am currently bored in my flight to somewhere, thank goodness for airplane internet).
 
Bangkok vs Pattaya
 

 
Ahhh yes, the eternal struggle between the two Thai cities, vying for your pink dollars. If you’re an occasional visitor, like me, and feel the need to maximize your fun because you usually don’t have time to spare wandering around aimlessly, trying to find what works for you and choosing between the two city choices, is usually something you need to do. Through my 14 trips, I have narrowed down what works and doesn't work for me, and yet sometimes the places I frequent sometimes still hold surprises for me. This trip report is a testament to that. And it usually isn’t because of the specific place I am staying at, but it is usually because of the company.
 
So I’m presenting my accounting on which city does what aspect the best. Like always, this is opinion are based on my preference. Your Mileage May Vary™, as usual, just because we are all different people. But I think by now you guys know fully well what warms my cockles, based on the 5 trip reports I have written here. I included links to some of my “reviews” or experiences I’ve had in the bars mentioned.
 
*Gogo Bars*
 
Bangkok
 
Bars I’ve visited: Dream Boy, Hot Male, X-Boys, Fresh Boys, X-Size, Jupiter, ScrewBoys, Tawan
 
Bars wish-list: Classic, Boys 66
 
Pattaya
 
Bars I’ve Visited: Boyzboyzboyz, X-Boys, Toy Boys, Nice Boys, A-bomb
 
Bars wish-list: 360
 

 
The gogo bars are the number one reason I go to Thailand. There are a lot beautiful boys around the world, but the one thing that sets Thailand apart is its gogo bars. No other place in the world has this mount of ease of access to boys like Thailand has. You are always guaranteed a good time if you know what you want, and have some baht to spare. Bangkok and Pattaya both have great gogo bars, and I really don’t have a preference to either city in terms of quality of the bars, entertainment and boys.
 
But just for sheer variety, I’d have to give the edge to Bangkok. If you’re in the mood for super twinks, boy next door types, matiness idol hunks or muscle gods, you can probably find what you’re looking for in Bangkok. And there are more gogo bars in Bangkok, so if you’re only staying for a week, you won’t have trouble finding the variety you need if you want to visit a new bar every night.
 
I have to admit that I’ve preferred certain bars over others, just because I’ve always found what I wanted in those bars, and just the right amount variety that I need. Dream Boy and Boyzboyzboyz fit this to a tee. I’ve found that if these were the only two bars I would ever go to for the rest of my life, I’d be pretty content. And these two have been my staples for the longest time. But I’ve tried to branch out and have found luck every bar I go to, except maybe the ones in Sunee Plaza (small sample size, but I may have been turned off by this one bad first encounter).
 
Advantage: Bangkok
 
 
*Host Bars*
 
Bangkok
 
Bars I’ve Visited: Hot Male, Telephone, Balcony
 
Bars wish-list: Scorpion
 
Pattaya
 
Bars I’ve Visited: @home
 
Bars wish-list: all the other bars in Jomtien
 

 
I define a host bar as a bar, oftentimes with an outdoor patio or component, with hot waiters and help and boys who are all, or most, offable. I’ve never really warmed to the idea of offing boys in host bars, until I went to Jomtien. And I had to have a former Jomtien star with me to get me to enjoy what Jomtien host bars had to offer. I do like the idea of a more unstructured evening compared to a show bar, and just letting the night, circumstance, and alcohol dictate what happens. All you have to be is ready for the onslaught of boys trying to get your attention.
 
In my early days of Thailand touring I went with friends, and most of them did not really go to Thailand to off anyone. Telephone Bar and Balcony were perfect for my friends, with relatively cheap drinks and a less “sleazy” atmosphere. There is nothing wrong with sleaze, by the way, and I enjoy that way more than my friends, who were only interested in drinking and talking and soaking up the Soi 4 atmosphere, before a night out at DJ.
 
So for a sex tourist, if host bars are your thing, Jomtien is the undisputed king. Hot Male 2 and Scoripon and Banana are all fun as well, but the freewheeling atmosphere of Jomtien really puts it head and shoulders above the rest.
 
Advantage: Pattaya
 
 
*Gay Clubs*
 
Bangkok: DJ Station, Fake Club, Celebrity Club
 
Pattaya:
 
Bars I’ve Visited: none
 
Bars wish-list: NAB, The Venue
 

 
DJ Station seems to be the gold standard of all Thailand “traditional” gay clubs. I’ve seen a lot of reviews on Travelgayasia comparing other Thai clubs to DJ. Perhaps because DJ is the most western of all gay clubs in Thailand. Fake, Celebrity and NAB have an added Thai flair to them, which is a big plus for me, the hardened sex tourist that I am. But if you’re new or still crave for the comfort of more western trappings, or if you like to check out the hot Asian tourists who consider DJ to be a pilgrimage site, this is the club for you.
 
Since I’ve been dating BurBoy, I have been a frequent visitor of Fake Club, and to a lesser extent, Celebrity Club. The combo ‘dance club – beer bar – show bar – boy bar’ model is something else, and sometimes is an assault to the senses. But for a once in a trip thing, Fake and Celebrity are musts in every gay tourist itinerary. This is why, all this time, I have regretted being able to check out NAB Men’s Club in Pattaya, especially since my favorite Pattaya AirBNB condo is only a few blocks away from it.
 
Advantage: Bangkok
 
 
*Gay Massage and Gay Saunas*
 
Bangkok: Arena three times, Babylon twice.
 
Pattaya: Narcissus once. Never been in a Pattaya sauna.
 

 
I am severely lacking in this sex tourist experience, and probably will have to wait a few more years before I am ready to fully experience the massage and sauna scenes. But my few visits to Arena and Babylon held so much promise. My one Pattaya massage experience was hot, although the masseur was hell-bent in topping me, which made for a relaxing massage experience for me. But it was hot seeing him cum though.
 
Advantage: maybe Bangkok? Too small sample size.
 
 
*Gay Districts*
 
Bangkok: Soi Twilight, Silom Soi 4
 
Pattaya: Boyztown, Jomtien Complex, Sunee Plaza, Dongtan Beach
 

 
Talk about one stop shopping. Pattaya seems to have the variety you need if you want to taste a wide breadth of experiences in a short amount of time. Boyztown is for gogos, Jomtien is for hosts, Sunee is for sleaze, and Dongtan is for your quick beach fix. Bangkok, for all its advantages, can’t boast this kind of gay entertainment variety.
 
Advantage: Pattaya
 
 
*Gay Apps Choices*
 

 
I’ve been able to find both free sex and paid sex in both cities with good success, but one city trumps the other clearly, more or less depending on what I am in the mood to look for. If I need free sex with a hot guy, I’ve had more luck finding it in Bangkok than Pattaya. There are more people in Thailand in general, so the numbers are in your favor. My favorite Thai free boy encounter is here, but I also have had luck with non-Thai free boys like this one wild Viet guy. In general I’ve always had cute free boys in Bangkok hit me up every trip. While this is fun, this is not why I go to Thailand. If I wanted free boys I would just stay home.
 
But I think if you are looking for cheap paid sex on the gay apps, Pattaya wins over Bangkok. I’ve found that ratio of paid boys vs free boys in the apps are higher in Pattaya than Bangkok, and because of this supply vs demand disparity, the prices in the apps tend to be cheaper. In Pattaya, the minute I open my gay apps, there will be a deluge of money boys messaging me, with short time fees averaging 1000 baht, and even 500 baht for the really desperate. Again, much like with free boys, this could be fun, but I am more interested in the whole experience (bars! offing! drinks!), that just cheap sex.
 
So it came down to the numbers, and counting the number of successful encounters I’ve had using gay apps in the Thailand, I would have to go with Bangkok. All my Bangkok encounters were with free boys, and they have run the gamut of nationalities as well. So Bangkok wins, by a (non-surgically enhanced) nose.
 
Advantage: Depends on what you want, but slight edge to Bangkok
 
 
*Other factors that may or may not be important to you*
 
*Culture*
 

 
One city really stands out in this regard by a mile. The gogo shows don’t start till 10:30 PM, and the massage places don’t really get going till the afternoon, so what is there to do in the hours you’re not fucking or getting molested? Bangkok is a world-class city, so pretty much everything else you need is here. Museums, temples, landmarks, boat experiences, classes, the list goes on and on for Bangkok. Pattaya? Well, since it is a manufactured town-sized brothel masquerading as a beach resort, culture is not exactly its strongest suit. It is the Las Vegas of Thai cities, lots of pleasure and flash, and not much else.  Advantage: Bangkok
 
*Shopping*
 

 
Read any Thailand tour book  or travel website, and you will see the names “Chatuchak Market”, “Siam Paragon”, “MBK”, “Terminal 21” etc., constantly being touted. And for good reason. Bangkok has the shopping advantage. Pattaya? It has malls, and shops, and Tuk Com, but for me, nothing special.  Advantage: Bangkok
 
*Ease of Access*
 

 
I feel that this comparison is a non-starter already, since Bangkok owns the two big airports, and is only a 30-45 minute taxi cab away, or a train (or two) ride away from the airports. With Pattaya you would have to get a car service (my preference), or a bus from the airport, which would take you about an hour and half to two hours or more. So if you don't want to waste any time to get to your destination and start your sex tour, Bangkok would probably be your best bet.
 
But it is actually is more than just the cities’ proximity to the airport. Bangkok has a developed public transportation infrastructure (BTS, MRT, bus service) than Pattaya’s paltry offerings (Songtheaws), not to mention the fun ferry rides across the river. Of course Pattaya is much much smaller than Bangkok, so often times having this variety in transportation does not matter, especially if your world just revolves around staying put in the gay ghettos, but if you’re like me and would like to venture out, often and always, then Bangkok does offer a lot more variety.
 
Advantage: Bangkok
 
*Cost*
 

 
So let’s say you’re the average Joe Sex Tourist, on a fixed income due to retirement, or working an average job, saving pennies for your vacation, earmarking all your money for off fees, and have little extra for fancy food or shopping or elaborate tours, where would you go? I’d say hands down, Pattaya would be your bet. I’ve found that decent accommodation is cheaper there than Bangkok, and the food, transportation and entertainment is generally cheaper, and of course the short time and long time fees are generally lower than what I see in Bangkok.
 
And I can certainly see the appeal in just focusing on Pattaya if youre trying to save money. The city is way smaller so there generally way less stuff to do, so there is less temptation to spend more. It is your hard-earned money after all, so the more money you can spend on the boys, which is the number one reason you are in Thailand, then Pattaya would probably give you the most bang for your buck. You can certainly have a frugal existence in Bangkok as well, but if you’re like me and have no impulse control when it comes to spending, I’d probably prefer Pattaya if I want to curb the dollars just coming out of my ass.
 
Advantage: Pattaya
 

 
Numazu's Winner: Bangkok probably, but really, who cares? It ultimately comes down to what you are mainly looking for. So if you're like me, you would love to have a mix of both worlds to get the whole Thai Sex Tourist experience. We are spoiled for choice in Thailand, and it's almost a crime to not take full advantage of what these two cities have to offer. And in this contest between Bangkok vs. Pattaya, everyone wins. 

Similar train type in Sao Paulo (exterior and interior POV).
 

Good.  I'm not difficult to please.  S.E. Asians from Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand too.

Allow John 13:17 to instruct you in this matter:
 
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Fair enough, Stevie; know when I'm beat.
 
But like every good salesman, I'll keep you on the mailing list in case a new line emerges that may appeal to your palate.

"increase Qatar Airways departures from Thailand to Doha to 53 per week."
 
53 flights per week ? Wow.
 
I hope they'll sort out immigration queues soon.
 
****************************************************************$
More traffic in the skies
Thailand
August 16, 2017 13:04
By The Nation
Five international airlines are expanding air access to Thailand with new flights from Beijing, Doha, Istanbul, Maldives, Jaipur and Tiruchirappalli in India, and Singapore all strengthening the Kingdom’s status as a global aviation hub.“Thailand has long been the key portal to Asia and a global aviation hub. Steady passenger growth depends on more flights and finding new entry points to the country. These new flights provide visitors with more choice, flexibility and convenience when travelling or making connections to major cities around Thailand. We hope that the expanded air access boosts tourism arrivals,” said Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). On March 27 this year, Thai Airways International launched its “Phuket Express” service with four direct weekly flights between Beijing and Phuket. Qatar Airways has been operating five flights a day from Doha to Bangkok since June 1. The increased frequency, along with its double-daily Phuket flights and the five-month-old Krabi operations (four weekly flights), increase Qatar Airways departures from Thailand to Doha to 53 per week.
Turkish Airlines launched the Istanbul to Phuket direct service on July 17, starting with four weekly flights that will increase to daily this coming winter. The airline started the Istanbul-Bangkok return service in 1989 and currently operates 14 flights per week.
 
 
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/thailand/30323967

Allow John 13:17 to instruct you in this matter:
 
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Allow John 13:17 to instruct you in this matter:
 
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Now all we need on top of smart DLs is smart drivers...

I used to tip beggars in Thailand until I started reading about the criminals who apparently control them. Now I'm more careful.
 
But I do still tip beggars - especially disabled ones - in other parts of Asia. It's part of the guilt I feel for having led such a fortunate life through sheer luck of where I was born and the good health I have enjoyed.
 
Some of my friends consider me an easy touch but I secretly think they are ungrateful for their lot in life. Money is meant to be shared around. As visitors to the poorer countries, an amount which is nothing to us can, in some circumstances, be life-changing for some of the locals.
 
As for restaurants, I noticed a while ago that the amount of my tip is wholly dependant on how handsome /cute the waiter is. The girls get a tip, too, but not as much.
 
Taxi drivers to and from the airport get 100 baht if they are pleasant and drive safely.
 
I also tip the people who make up my hotel room and anyone else who I believe may be able to help me in some way. (E.g. the guys who attend the lift at the Tarntawan hotel.) I find it works like a charm. They earn more money and I get great service. What's not to like about that?
 
Coming from a country where tipping is unheard of, it took me a while to get used to it. But I think I've got it about right now. When in doubt, over-tip. You can't go wrong.
 
You know when it's right when both of you are smiling and happy.

I heard this before from both givers and takers and this way of thinking is touching my raw nerve. In my opinion money is money and if I heard it from her / him it would be last tip they got from me.
 
Not that I don't practice what I preach. In one of soi Twilight bars on the right side ( Zeus or Fresh or XBoys ) waiter tipped 20 baht in two coins actually had nerve   to ask me if  I have a paper and was sternly told "if you don't like , give me back". He did not.
 
And I had a boy complaining that part of his overnight tip, I think about 1000,  was in 100's , I like him very much but still on subsequent off two or three nights later right in the room I showed him nice stack of 30 red notes and told him this is his tip ready for morning, believe me lesson learned and now I like him even more because of that passionate night.
 
So yes , if you buy my old car from me for 1000 you can pay it all in 1 $ bills.
 
there are two reasons for that:
1. if you tip on the last day , throughout your stay personnel will not even know if will be tipped or not so may actually slack on duties, if you tip daily you may find an extra towel,  pack of shampoo or even flower on your bed next day
 
2. when you are checking out sometimes reception send a staff to check if everything is Ok and this may not be person who was toiling on your room all those days. Knowing hotels habits he/she may pocket your tip.
 
Greed is universal, I live in first world country and still know a snack bar where all tips left by clients in a jar beside cash register are pocketed by the owner, when tried to put coin there cashier told me don't bother and explained why.  

..and the boys will off us.  Think I'm warming to the idea. lol

I agree.
 
But there's nothing wrong with admiring it and comparing it with others you have experienced.

Perhaps, but none come in a better bottle.

Go for it; you'll feel much better after.

Perhaps, but none come in a better bottle.

Perhaps, but none come in a better bottle.

Perhaps, but none come in a better bottle.