Finnseventy

Happy Songkran 2034 !!!
on serious note it seems that increased popularity of barebacking backed up with treating PREP as cure all contributes to those increases.

Dear Old, It's called hormones my dear. They tone down after a while and sex no longer becomes the biggest driving force in one's life. When that happens you can see the world a little bit more clearly, not being clouded by continual lust and not being driven to take amazing risks which we should have avoided in the first place. Travel becomes even more sweet -- you can enjoy a flash of a smile, a sweet embrace, seeing an old friend and catching up, ... well enjoying life as a more multidimensional experience. For me Pattaya is just as exciting as it was 20+ years ago because, besides sex, I enjoy so many other things -- a 30B mango shake from the night market, a walk to the "end of the earth" (Pratumnak), the cooling off after a tropical rainstorm, ... well just so many things which I would have ignored in the past. Luckily we were young enough to enjoy the hedonistic ways of Pattaya's past. I think if I were young now I would feel cheated out of not having been able to experience Pattaya of the past (Adam and Eve bar, Memory bar, old Twilight, ...) so many things that just don't exist any more. SO I don't know if it is because _I_ changed, or because _Pattaya_ has changed, perhaps both?

Hope your vagina tests came out ok....
I get swabbed in throat, ass, urine and blood when I get std checks in USA. They mixed up the swabs once and said I had gonorrea in the throat, I told them I hardly suck cock anymore that it must be reversed....he said it doesn't matter, same treatment for both, this happened after Cuba. So I did suck one guy while I was there, a baseball player with an amazing dick, I messaged him of the results, he freaked out and said impossible, went to be tested and said he was negative. A couple of days later someone that had fucked me, said he tested positive for gonorrea.... so the swabs were mixed up and I freaked out the baseball player for no reason.

I was tested before going to Cuba, so the guy that fucked me already had it and gave it to me....  glad they're working on a vaccine for gonorrea. 

I also wanted to mention that the consent forms that I needed to sign prior to testing had some interesting statistics:
33% of gay men in Bangkok (Thai and non-Thai) are HIV positive. Only 68% of these individuals are undergoing treatment for HIV. 
 
20% of gay men in Bangkok (Thai and non-Thai) are positive for Syphilis. 

Trip Report – Koh Chang – 15 Jan 2024 – 18 Jan 2024
 
I am behind on my trip reports.  I present this one from Koh Chang (which was easier to prepare) and then I will have a bigger one from Christmas/New Years - 17 day trip report for Songkhla.  Sorry for the delays.
 
Up to now, my favorite island in proximity of Pattaya has been Koh Samet.
Hanging out with my volleyball friends at the Dongtan beach (Sea Rescue area), we were chatting about a new island place to go to and we decided to make a 4 day / 3 night visit to Koh Chang.

Aerial shot of the Trat island archipelago
One of them has a car, so that made the transportation modality easy. Note that a quick search in Google - notes that there are many busses that also go there – primarily from Bangkok but I believe that I saw one from Pattaya as well.
    -> Please note that their facial photos are included in this trip report with their permission given as well as their contact details in case any of you would like to use their services. <-
We departed Jomtien around 9:45am and we arrived at the Ao Thammachat pier in Trat at around 14:30pm, almost 5 hours – leisurely driving with breaks for the bathroom, iced coffee, and gas.
We were able to get onto the 15:30pm car ferry at a cost of 120 baht for the car and then 80 baht for the each of us for a total of 360 baht. The ferry crossing is about 30 minutes.  Ferry info can be found here at:  Koh Chang Ferries price list 2023 / 2024 


Map of Koh Chang and surrounding islands.  As you can see there are many ferry options to arrive onto the island from the mainland.

Above places highlighted with a red circle are the places that we visited
We booked our 3 night stay at the Klong Prao Resort    Klong Prao Beach Resort webpage 
We booked 2 rooms and paid 1,840 baht per night for a total of 11,040 baht for 3 nights.

This resort is lovely and very big with a beautiful sandy beach and lush tropical plants everywhere.  As we booked kind of at the last minute we were assigned to 2 older rooms.  There are 3 distinct zones around a large pond, where the zone we stayed in is the oldest and the other 2 zones are more modern.  My only complaint about our rooms were there were hardly any electrical outlets for all of our devices (electric razor, tooth brush, boom box, mobile phones, etc.).  Other than this inconvenience the rooms were perfect – air con worked very well, shower had hot water, and unlike my stay in Koh Samet and also in Songkhla (I still need to write this trip report) there were NO noisy geckos

to wake us up in the early morning with their annoying chirping sounds.  However, they are very handy for eating any annoying mosquitos, bugs and spiders.
Note that the 2 newer zones have many electrical outlets as they were probably built after the advent of the popularity of mobile phones and all of our electrical gadgets.
The highlights of this resort for us were:
The pool and their pool bar with early evening 2 for 1 sunset happy hours – as evidenced in the below photos, The white sandy beaches and blue turquoise water.  Note that the Koh Chang municipality has strict rules that keep the noisy speed boats and jet skis away – thus rendering the beaches to be more in their wonderful natural state.
Day 1 (15 Jan 2024) itinerary
Arrive onto the island, check in unpack, enjoy the resort grounds, pool, beach, happy hour, fantastic sunset and eat at the resort dining facility = RimHad Restaurant.  Watched a great fire show performed by some hunky macho guys (similar to the familiar B-Boys, who perform all over Pattaya, Boyztown, Jomtien) on the beach in front of our resort restaurant.  Like when I visited Koh Samet, these fire show guys can be found traveling up and down the beach performing in front of the many resorts and beach restaurants.  It lasted about 10 minutes and was very entertaining.

I realized that I did not take any still photos so the above photo is from a movie clip that I made.
 
Then before going to sleep I received my customary massage – as both of these volleyball friends are also masseurs.
Day 2 (16 Jan 2024) itinerary
After the great resort buffet breakfast (an enormous selection of Western and Thai foods were available) we headed off to the Khlong Phlu Waterfall in the National Park.  It was nearby, and perhaps after 30 minutes by car we were already at the trailhead for our hike.  The hike took about 30 minutes and was rather easy. 
Explore Koh Chang - description of Koh Chang waterfalls  

As it was not rainy season, the waterfall was a little bit subdued, but it was still cool and refreshing to take a dip and to swim with the millions of fish that were in the water.  You need to resist their lite nibbles at your skin – kind of like those tourist places that you see all over Thailand where the tourists put their feet into a fish tank to get their dead skin nibbled off.

There were about 20 to 25 people there when we visited with about half of them brave enough to enter the chilly refreshing water.  There is a lifeguard off to the left up on the rocks to prevent that tourists climb up onto the waterfall, as it can be quite dangerous as it is very slippery.

And there I am trying to acclimate myself to the lite nibbles by the fish before I dove in and swam
over to where the water was cascading down – as that end is very deep.
 
Entrance fee to the waterfall (which is part of the national park system) was 40 baht for each of my 2 Thai friends and 200 baht for me for a total cost of 280 baht.
Afterwards, back to our resort to relax, swim in the pool, take advantage of the 2-for-1 drink specials at the pool bar, and to watch the sunset.
For that night’s dinner we drove over to the popular White Sands Beach area – full of restaurants, hotels, resorts, markets, etc. to eat at the Beach Tango restaurant 
     Beach Tango restaurant Facebook page  
which became our favorite go-to place to eat.
Why?
The food and drinks were good.  There was interesting eye candy – one of the wait staff had our constant attention.  Plus, there were many interesting people walking up and down the beach – as there are many, many, bars and restaurants in this area.  Beach Tango is smack in the middle of all of the fun and is an entertaining place to be situated.

Then after dinner back to the room to relax for my nightly massage.  Life is good.
 
Day 3 (17 Jan 2024) itinerary
Enjoy the buffet breakfast and then head down to the extreme southern part of Koh Chang (on the opposite side of the island) to visit the very famous Koh Ngam beach.  It was a very long drive as we needed to cross the island to the other side (mainland facing), and this part of the island is not built up like the other side, so consequently, the main road became narrower and narrower up into the mountains to the point where there was only room for 1 car to pass one way with very steep curvy roads.  Scary, but well worth the reward to arrive at the tiny boat station to take the 10 minute boat to cross over to the breath taking Koh Ngam.

You can choose your mode of transportation – by kayak or by motorboat.  We chose by motorboat as we were too excited to already be on Koh Ngam.  I believe that we paid 80 baht for each Thai person, and I as a farang had to pay 200 baht, which included the boat ride over to the island.  Fee is paid to a ranger on Koh Ngam – as it is now part of the Thailand National Park system.

Here is a good short video with some drone footage of Koh Ngam:  Youtube video with drone footage of Koh Ngam 
And here is what awaits you on Koh Ngam – truly amazing.

After enjoying Koh Ngam (swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the view and the nature) – back on the boat to Koh Chang and then back in the car for the 1 hour trip back to our resort for those 2-for-1 pool bar cocktails and amazing sunsets.

Rinse and repeat the previous night at Beach Tango for dinner and drinks and then back to the resort for my nightly good-night massage.
Day 4 (18 Jan 2024) itinerary
Enjoy the last breakfast buffet and check-out of the resort for the long 5 hour drive back to Pattaya (Jomtien).
Phong says to me – do you want to see one more exciting place before we head back?  I say, sure, why not.  So, we drive over to the Kai Bae Viewpoint, which is famous for its spectacular view of 4 of the Koh Chang archipelago islands, Koh Yuak, Koh Man Noi, Koh Pli and Koh Man Nok.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kai+Bae+Viewpoint/@12.0205768,102.2919516,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x3104105179b452c7:0x2b4a04572dce185b!8m2!3d12.0205768!4d102.2919516!16s%2Fg%2F11b6tz721w?hl=en&entry=ttu
Note that there is excellent coffee available at this Kai Bae viewpoint.

Before almost reaching Pattaya, my 2 tour guides noticed that we were all sad that our 4 day trip was coming to a quick end, so they said do you want to eat at a fun place that is near Pattaya (about 1 hour away) before we call it a day?  I said sure – as I really like to see and experience new places.
So, we stopped off at the Tamnanpar Resort & Restaurant – one of these many nearby Pattaya / Rayong restaurants that are tucked away in a jungle theme – various Thai friends have taken me to different ones as each Thai person swears that his/her’s is the best.
Tamnanpar resort and restaurant Facebook page 


This place is famous for their unique game cuisine where you can eat ostrich, crocodile, snake, and deer. All was good and our random waiter was someone that my 2 tour guides already knew and were teasing him about his in-the-bed attributes – he was quite shy but willing to tease back my 2 Thai friends.  I truly enjoy when the Thais do this to each other as it is very entertaining.
Then they dropped me off at my condo room in Jomtien and our trip concluded.
 
 
Trip summary:
Would I go back to Koh Chang?  Most certainly – it is a large island and there is still more to see. Especially to visit many of the many off-shore islands in the archipelago. Maybe stay for one more additional day to take some time to do kayaking.
Any regrets?  Yes, we did not have time to see the famous abandoned boat “ghost” hotel.   Nation Thailand article on the famous "ghost" ship on Koh Chang
 
Contact details (HORNET and Line) for my 2 Thai tour guides from the Dongtan volleyball field in Jomtien.  They can be available to be a tour guide, companion, or masseur. 
 permission was granted to me by the both of them to publish their details for all of you Also, come and visit them at volleyball (nightly from about 5:30 pm until 8pm to 9pm daily) – right next to the Sea Rescue in front of the Pattaya Park Tower on the beach road of our Dongtan beach. 
Phong Hornet ID is:  @m-thailand
Boat Hornet ID is:  @13hq91


 

I do a lot of threesomes. Some boys I already know work happily together. But generally my MO is to pick the boy that I want as second, and we discuss and then invite the third.
Sometimes in a bar there are a number of boys around the table and I might just jokingly point at two of them and count 1-2-3 on my fingers and see what their reaction is. Sometimes it is just laughed off, sometimes it is met with enthusiastic nodding, then it is 'game-on'.
I also find it helpful to have discussed with the boys who might do what to whom? 
The first time in the room for a new threesome might be a bit slow as the boys are often shy of one another. But with the lights lowered, and a little gentle direction from me and it usually works out ok, although obviously some better than others.
Once a threesome has been established it usually just gets better and better. Perhaps with food offered afterwards as they chat and get to know one another.
Winner Boys should be excellent for threesomes, established boys like Nam and Bank are usually totally at ease with them, Nam in particular is usually very proactive in getting the 'party' started!

Latest batch of pics from the Winner Boys FaceBook page.
Having visited the bar several times last month I can confirm a number of new boys and overall a more lively and positive vibe about the bar than I remember for a number of years.





 

Olddaddy - some time ago you wrote something in one of your posts that really bothered me -
something like - what do all of the farang retirees do in Jomtien to pass the day - sit on their balconies looking out onto the sea.....
Well, I moved to Jomtien from the EU in September 2022 as a new retiree - and after 6 months I became bored looking out onto the sea from my balcony.
That was the HARDEST part of being a new retiree - how to repurpose ourselves?  What is our new purpose in life.
Out of the blue - my ex-boss from the EU called me on a day that I was really bored - he asked me what I was doing.
I replied, I am busy counting endless seashells on the seashore.....
He laughed and said to me - "Do you want a NEW chance to use your brain and be intellectual again?"
I jumped at the opportunity and I replied with a resounding = YES.
So, within a month I was back in the EU in early 2023 on a 4.5 month short retiree consulting contract using my brain and it felt so good to have purpose again.....
After night after night sitting in the Supertown Jomtien Complex sitting and drinking I was rapidly becoming more and more depressed and becoming negative - and that is not me - I am usually a happy lucky guy with a lot of energy.
The Supertown Jomtien Complex is made in a way that does not allow us to expend energy - the mantra is:
"falang sit - falang drink"  ==> and it you go against this program they get upset as I tried on many occasions to stand and even dance....The preferred Supertown program is for us to be sedentary and to spend our money....and I find this program SO boring and not stimulating....
So Olddaddy - I did not like what you wrote some time ago about retiring in Jomtien as I was SO confident that I would find a way after my new retirement to BOTH use my little brain down on the 3rd leg (which I did and often with great satisfaction) --> but the joy from using your 3rd leg brain does NOTHING for stimulating the real brain.
Anyone who is already retired in Jomtien - what is your secret to find ways to stimulate your brain to give it intellectual input and challenges??

On 1-2-2-4, A or B?
[43 seconds]

My Movie.mov

Observing current situation in Pattaya, I think idea to open nursing home is quite interesting idea. Bungalows in the garden, skilled chief at the kitchen, cute "nurses", doctor's patronage, legal adviser for to fill all these govt's forms for your clients, and group excursions around from time to time - islands, concerts, museums. 

Daytime temperatures in Bangkok's 'winter season' very rarely fall below around 28. It will be a little cooler in the evenings and can drop down 4 or 5 degrees. Chiang Mai is certainly cooler, especially in the evenings when you will almost certainly need a sweater.
As @reader's article points out, much depends on China. If it is below freezing in Beijing, the winter monsoon will ensure that some of those cold winds will extend down as far as Thailand leading to cooler weather. I was once having a short vacation in Hua Hin bewteen Christmas and New Year when it was pretty cool just lying by the pool.
But the winter monsoon can blow in at any time. I recall one late November spell in Hong Kong, normally one of the loveliest months weather-wise, when daytime temperatures dropped to what felt like a bitterly cold 12 degrees. Check what is happening temperature-wise in Beijing in the winter period and you can be sure this will have some effect on Thailand a few days later.

time to join EU, see how Central European countries were lifted up after joining 

Excited by Aussie's post about the two poles erected in BN Bar, I have been sitting opposite like a dog waiting for a bone, but so far no bone.
Hopefully, the boys will spring into action sooner or later, until then the poles will continue to act as ceiling supports.
The Complex continues to be awash with rumours of "The Return to Sunnee Plaza" with several bar owners being name-checked as potential movers. All will become clear by the time high season returns, I am assured.
The Complex itself is awash with boys, as noted by previous posters, and that's no bad thing. What is perhaps noteworthy is that the influx of boys is concentrated among the bars with young Thai owners, such as BN, 69 and Sunnee/Dodo Bars. The hobby bars owned by retirees are clearly lagging behind as they continue to try to pass off middle-aged bar staff as "boys".
As a regular low season visitor, this year does not appear to be exceptionally quiet, despite some reports to the contrary, but perhaps the customers are more spread out among the many available bars. 
Word of the day: The standard collective nouns for a group of boys are: a blush of boys a leer of boys a passel of boys and a rascal of boys.

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.

Or just another closet gay pushing out homophobic vibes to protect his hetero image while checking out the boys in the gay area.

The Dodo boys love dancing. The bar has a constant flow of customers and it was diffcult to find a seat last night but much easier to find a boy to have a drink with.

20230830_225322_1.mp4

Last night in Dodo bar...
20230821_235834.mp4

I arrived a little early at Dodo Bar and the boys were warming up for the night ahead...
20230820_201035.mp4 20230820_205216.mp4

Or just another closet gay pushing out homophobic vibes to protect his hetero image while checking out the boys in the gay area.

Last night in Dodo bar...
20230821_235834.mp4

I arrived a little early at Dodo Bar and the boys were warming up for the night ahead...
20230820_201035.mp4 20230820_205216.mp4

Now that Dodo Bar has been doing well with mostly twinks and a couple of average build guys, there may be an opportunitty for Dodo bar or another bar in the Jomtien Complex to provide a similar style venue with bigger build and some more muscular men. Others have mentioned that they are not into the twink look at all so there may be enough customers, especially in high season to support this suggestion. 

At Dodo Bar the boys will get very close up, most of the the shorts are loose with plenty of exploration going on from my observations recently.
I suggested to a bar owner a while back to try a similar concept like Dodo Bar has implemented or at least get all the boys in see through singlets. He said he was worried if the boys were all wearing that attire it would be easy for immigration to pick out the staff who were  here illegally when they did a raid. Fair enough, but the lack of innovation in the Jomtien Complex by most of the bars is rather uninspiring . So kudos to Dodo Bar for providing some good entertainment, and we need to support them to keep it going and getting even better.

It was 30-40 years ago.
We're talking about men today who 40 years ago were in their 20's and 30's.
One can always make new friends, but these friends do not have the benefit of experiencing your life with you. You can't replace a friend who shared your formative, prime years with you, who remembers those funny stories you'd rather forget. Who can remind you of all the good times you might forget. And vice versa.
It gets harder to forge those kinds of connections. And if one lost a lover? Grief can be painful and long lasting.
It's just a thought.
Another might be that they're a product of the changing times. Men who followed the pattern of society; find a girl, get married, have kids.... and soon found themselves at 50+, with the kids having flown the nest and an unhappy wife, and in a society that now widely accepting of gay people. They leave their life behind to try to capture their lost youth, severing ties with their old social networks... and failing to find a new one.
Just hypothesis