prickles

don't you have any shame combing through out debaucherous forum on the train?

very few in Heaven I suspect considering Sunee reputation at that time

If I were looking for a relationship a bar boy is the last place I would start in any country for a whole host of reasons.
I have never intended to get involved with any of the bar guys in Bangkok and, when I take a step back, the fact that I am now involved with Bangkok Guy to the extent that I am still surprises me.
As the relationship began in a bar my ability to help him financially is an inevitable part of the relationship. To ask if a bar boy would stay in a relationship without the financial support is, I think, fatuous. On their side, the need for financial support is a baked-in part of the reason they are there.
The more relevant question is whether the relationship can be one of a fair and equal exchange with respect and caring on both sides.
If the falang treats the guy as a sex doll, a trophy, or as bought property, or just generally fails to consider his needs, there will be no long term relationship. If the guy does not like or respect the falang, or if he thinks it is purely short term, then he is likely to view the falang as an ATM to be emptied as quickly as possible, and there will be no long term relationship.
However, if each likes and respects the other, both are transparent about their needs and the exchange of needs seems a fair trade, there is a chance it might work subject to the vicissitudes of all relationships including compatibility with each other’s friends and families and ability to co-locate.  
Again making it plain that I am aware that I do not have a full understanding of the situation, my perception is that if Bangkok Guy and I decided to go for an actual full time relationship the main problems are:
(i)               Ability to co-locate. I do not want to live in Thailand. Bangkok Guy is clear that he does not care where he lives as long as it is with me. That’s nice to hear, but not practical.
(ii)              Bangkok Guy’s responsibility to look after his mother and sister and possible wider family network ties.
It’s the second point where there are possible transparency issues around how much I am viewed as an ATM to be emptied as quickly as possible.
Bangkok Guy completely lacks a poker face. What he is thinking, his state of mind, is on his face, especially if you know him. It has the benefit of making communication easier.
When Bangkok Guy asks me for financial assistance he does so in one of three ways.
(i)               Completely openly and hopefully. This is his expression when he is discussing his own needs. He is approaching me as his friend to fulfill the financial part of my role in the relationship. He has always been very straightforward in these discussions and I enjoy them as I get a clear view into his circumstances and his hopes.
(ii)              Complete panic. This has only happened once during Covid when his part of the family couldn’t make their payment on the time-payment-tractor. It has only happened once and no one could fake the sheer panic on his face, let alone someone without a poker face.
(iii)            Reluctantly with submissive/concerned body language and a concerned face. On these occasions he is asking for help with something to do with the family, not himself.
The first two approaches are consistent with a relationship based on fair trade.
The third concerned/submissive approach is the one where suspicious minds could raise questions.
Does his expression indicate guilt as he knows he is pulling a con, or reluctance as he thinks it might strain our relationship, or frustration & reluctance as he resents having to bear the responsibility of looking after the family?
My guess, guess, is that it is some combination of the last two.
Bangkok Guy takes his responsibilities to his family seriously. He is a stoic and not one to complain. But just occasionally a look or the tone of voice lets it slip that he resents the responsibility and the demands it places on him. It shows in his schizophrenic attitude to his home town. On the one hand he loves its physical beauty and clean air, on the other hand going there to be with family is not his favorite thing.  
I also suspect that his family may view me as a family ATM. “Son, you have great success, bring ATM to family, now empty ATM while the going is good, falang so unreliable need to empty now” while Bangkok Guy does not see it this way.
I think Bangkok Guy wants a long term relationship. Misuse and abuse of the ATM is not consistent with that. My guess is that his family puts him in a difficult position.
I have had two long term relationships, the first of which was with a successful self-made guy from a quite dysfunctional family who, after he became successful, made his life very difficult with their demands for lifestyle uplift. I thought they were a pack of c#nts and would have cut them off, after all they cut him off when they found out he was gay, before he became successful which somehow overcame their distaste for gay, but they were his family and he needed their acceptance (worthless and self-centered though it was).
I suspect Bangkok Guy is in an analogous situation, although (i) his family are simply poor, only mildly dysfunctional and have no objection to him being gay and (ii) he is bound to them through the need to fulfill social norms more than through emotional dependence.
If I am right in this, if, then the risk is that Bangkok Guy decides at some point that his dream of a long term relationship is not going to happen, or that I will not give him enough assistance to start his own business and become independent, in which case he is exposed to a return to a low-and-unreliable market income and a hand-to-mouth existence, in which case he may as well empty the ATM while he can.  
Bangkok Guy and I need to maintain faith in each other. Without trust, there is nothing.
 

It's not brainwashing, it's infatuation. Love, or even a whiff of love, can be a powerful motivator. I highly recommend this documentary about a straight host bar in Osaka, where the hosts have a number of beautiful young women spending thousands of dollars a night -- even going into prostitution so they can maintain their spending. The hosts and the young women they are manipulating are brutally honest about what is really going on in these types of relationships. This documentary really opened my eyes. Please give it a watch. It's just amazing. 
 

Some really good information in all the replies here. To tell you the truth, I first started going to Pattaya for the go-go bars. I loved watching the dancers get up on stage in their swim suits and smile at me. Or not. I loved the sleaze factor. The hedonist in me loved the excitement. But over the years Boyztown and Sunee became shadows of what they were. I have no idea why as I really loved the nightlife they provided. But everyone seemed to have migrated down to Jomtien.
I've tried to follow them. But I've never had a good time in Jomtien. First of all, there are no sleazy go-go bars. There are only open-air beer bars that, when I sit down at one, make me feel like I myself am on display to be gawked at by all the other tourists walking by. Secondly, despite everyone saying the place is heaven for twink lovers, I've never found that to be true. I have never met -- or even seen -- anyone I'd like to invite back to my hotel room. With all the twink heaven comments persisting, however, I'm nearly convinced that I've just visited Jomtien during slow times of the year. How could my experiences possibly be the exact opposite of everybody else's?
Anyway, my thinking is that Jomtien became the hot nighttime spot because of its prices, although I would not get into a debate on the matter with Gaybutton, who made some excellent points earlier in this thread. Plus he always seems to be extremely knowledgable.
So when I visit Pattaya in November, I will book a Jomtien hotel for the first time -- at least for the first couple of nights -- and, um, try to have fun.

I might know how you feel. Maybe. But my similar story is about someone I had known for almost a decade.
It was January 2011 when I met perhaps the cutest guy I had ever laid eyes on. I was walking through Sunee when he noticed me first and said, "Hi." I immediately shifted my gaze to see who belonged to that arrestingly cute voice and inhaled the most addicting smile you could possibly imagine. He was young, 21, slight of build and with the androgynous good looks of a Korean boy band member. Of course I sat down. He wasn't only a charmer but an intoxicating conversationalist as well. He said he learned English at the Catholic school he attended while growing up. Before we left the bar, after he agreed to come back to my hotel, he stopped me and said he had to warn me. He didn't have six-pack abs. I felt so sorry for him, imagining such a comment could only come from someone who went to a customer's hotel room and got at least halfway undressed only to be sent away for lacking a perfectly chiseled torso. How painful that must have been. So I lifted up my shirt and said, "Never mind. Neither do I."
At my hotel, I asked him if he wanted to sit out on the balcony and have a beer. I figured his answer would be no, that as soon as he could he would want to take his earnings to NAB or wherever else 21-year-olds and their friends hung out to enjoy their youth. But he replied, "Why not?"
So I got to enjoy his company for a good hour more before we headed inside to shower and then to bed.
But we didn't stay on the bed for long. He had that slight build -- and it turned out a beautiful body that a six-pack might have actually marred. We were in the missionary position when I decided to take advantage of his 49 kilograms, maneuver him to the edge of the bed, plant my feet on the floor, and pick him up.
It's easy to get some really powerful thrusts in this position, and his moans sounded like he might have been in pain. I stopped and asked if he was OK. He said, "Better than OK. I love it." When I continued, his moans started up again, his eyes rolled back into his head and I realized I wasn't the only one intoxicated with my partner that night.
Eventually it was time for him to leave and as he was sliding out the door he looked back and said, "Come see me next time you're in Thailand."
I was floored. I thought we had made a real connection and that he would ask me for my contact details. I can't describe to you the hurt and disappointment I felt when he essentially said, "So long."
But I was in Pattaya again some 11 months later. Of course I went looking for ... let's call him Dave. I found him working at another bar. Or should I say he found me. "Hey, Biggus," I heard an arrestingly cute voice call out. I immediately knew it was him. I told him how hurt I was when he left last time not asking for my contact details and essentially saying, "Have a nice life." He said he didn't ask for fear of being rejected.
We went on to have a lot of fun over the years. He called me once and insisted I come out for Songkran. I told him I had heard Songkran was miserable for foreigners, that we were always being targeted with ice water even if we were on our way to work. He said, "Don't be a baby. I'll protect you."
I did go to Thailand that April, for two weeks, and to this day they remain the greatest two weeks of my life. I still use a picture from that vacation as my smartphone wallpaper to remind me that I once had a perfect day. We spent a few more Songkrans together. We'd stay up all night at the SK party -- a massive electronic dance music event that must have attracted 10,000 of the hottest young Asian men on the planet -- then spend all day water-gun fighting along Silom. After several days of full-on hedonism, we would move to Pattaya. There we would spend several days redefining hedonism. For New Year's we would go to the White Party. He met me once for a long weekend in Seoul. The last Songkran I saw him at, though, something was different. He was on edge, like he was about to lose his temper, like he was using all his energy to hold it in. He insisted we leave the SK party almost as soon as we got there and go to Silom. I had spent hundreds of dollars on tickets for Dave, his best friend and myself.
Never mind. When our taxi let us out on Silom, I started heading to Soi 2, thinking we were going to DJ Station, but Dave said no, we were going to Soi 4. I didn't understand. There was nothing happening this late on Soi 4, and just sitting down drinking was never how we spent our time together, at least not after that first night. His best friend looked at me apprehensively, then looked at Dave and said, "That's bad." He left. I followed Dave into Soi 4. We sat down and ordered drinks. A few minutes after the drinks arrived someone who left as soon as he popped up handed Dave something and we left. On our way out the soi, one of the street vendors along Silom threw a bag to Dave. He caught it, and we got into a taxi.
Dave told the driver to take us to my hotel. Already, I thought? Even though it was only 2am or so, I was incredibly drunk, so I went along with it. What else was I gonna do? And anyway I needed to relieve my bladder and wouldn't mind doing so in my clean hotel bathroom.
But when I got out of the bathroom, Dave was smoking crystal meth.
Our relationship didn't last much longer. Sure, we texted but only so Dave could ask me for money and call me vile names when I refused.
In December 2020, almost a year into the pandemic and years since I had blocked Dave on Line, his best friend called me to say he was dead.
At this point, I hadn't known anything but pain from Dave for years. Still, though, knowing someone I had spent so many great nights and days with was dead, well, it still hurts.
So maybe I feel your pain. I keep Dave in my memory because that's all I can do.
 
 

Perhaps even worse is when a boy you care about just disappears and you have no idea what happened to him, even after many years have passed. Around 16 years ago I would occasionally go to the up-market Italian restaurant Zanotti on Saladaeng. Sometimes a client would take me. At others I would go with friends. Expensive at evening time, it had a very good set lunch at a very reasonable price. There was one waiter who I found especially attractive. Mid-20s, he came from a town in Isaan. His English was good and his smile virtually to die for. I usually chatted with him. Over time we became friends although he always said he was not gay.
As his room was not far from my condo, I invited him round for drinks after work one evening. I was surprised that he came. Soon he would come quite frequently, almost always sleeping overnight on the sofa. For his birthday, I got a cake from the Mandarin Oriental shop and he was so happy. He said he'd never had a birthday cake before! Only on 2 or 3 occasions would he knock on my door and ask to sleep with me. Although i was not in love with him, I loved his company. He could be wonderfully funny and we spent many evenings on the sofa just chatting and laughing. I considered him a lovely close friend.
After about a year, he and several other staff left Zanotti following a disagreement with the manager. He told me that of the 10% service charge, the manager kept 8.5% leaving the staff to share just 1.5%. Eventually he told me that he wanted to work overseas. The Mango Tree restaurant (near Tawan Bar) had a namesake in Dubai. He had been offered a job there. I checked the contract with which I told him there were several problems. He tried to bring them up with the manager here but was told it was take it or leave it. So he signed and flew off to Dubai. In several early emails he told me how much he was enjoying the work and being in Dubai. Soon, though, things began to turn sour and he wanted to break his contract and just leave. He did have his passport but no air ticket which he was saving up for. I told him just to get the ticket and I would pay him the balance.
Back in Bangkok, he did a couple of part-time restaurant jobs before he was offered a post on one of the Royal Viking Line Cruise ships. Hugely excited, off he went to somewhere in the Baltic. When in ports he would email me saying he loved the job, despite the hard work. Eventually he had some leave coming up. He wrote and asked if he could stay with me in Bangkok. Of course I agreed. Having given me his dates, he said he'd contact me when he got back to Thailand. Sure enough, he mailed me to say he had arrived but would first go to see his family. He'd come to Bangkok after 6 days. That was the last I heard from him!
I mailed him several times. They were unanswered. I left sms messages on his phone which was still working. No reply. I called and just got the ring tone. After a couple of months I wrote that I did not care what had happened to him - maybe he'd married, maybe found a long-term boyfriend, maybe been in a bad accident - all I wanted to know was that he was OK and perhaps see him if he came to Bangkok. If he needed help, I was here. Again no reply. 
I hope he is somewhere and happily settled down with the good job he deserves and a love life that he enjoys. If I could just get one mail saying that, I'd be really happy for him. It would also set my mind at ease. My fear is that something happened when he was back with his family and he died. It's the not knowing that occasionally, even now, gnaws at me.

Although I'm not aware that anyone I met in Thailand has taken their own life, a good friend I worked with for many years did. We stopped for a beer after work one night and he told me he was on the verge of divorce. He was visibly shaken. I just tried to listen and say what I thought was reassuring. I still recall standing outside the bar, thinking about embracing him before we parted. But I didn't. Five days later he was found dead from self-inflicted wounds.
As I look back on it I realize that I should have followed  my gut instinct and hugged him. I'm not saying that if I did he wouldn't have killed himself. What I am saying is that I still ask myself why I didn't.
It is--as some have said--what we don't do that can haunt us the most.

we are waiting impatiently, no pressure though

Part 0: Ready for take off
While I'm writing this, I am at the airport waiting for my flight to Bangkok via Doha. Ready for almost 1 month in Thailand.
Bangkok, Chiang Rai & Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket… I have a busy schedule ahead. Planning to make an interesting trip-report for you guys. Off course with up-to-date information about all “boy fun” on offer at the moment. But also some non-sexual (boring…? haha) stuff.
Any requests on what to check out while I’m around, let me know.
The first time I came to Bangkok was in February 2013. As starting point for a two-month round tour in South-East Asia. It was my first time travelling solo. A big adventure. I instantly felt in love with SE-Asia. Not only because of the easy-to-get guys, but also because of
the culture, nature and food. As a result, I would come back every year. As I worked in tourism, I had 3 months off every year in European low-season; the best months to travel in SE-Asia. I even managed to work in Phuket / Khao Lak a few months for the company a few years later. A dream come true.
My last holiday in Thailand was in January / February 2020, just before covid19 hit. And now, after more than two years I am finally coming back! In my favourite city: Bangkok. It’s busy, smelly, humid and noisy. But somehow I like how vibrant it is. I’ve always been more a city-person than a beach-person.
I was thinking about all the good memories I have in Bangkok. The many nights I’ve spent in Soi Twilight. You couldn’t enter that alley for 5 meters without being groped, touched and seduced by bar staff, moneyboys and touts trying to lurk you into their club for a “big cock show”. All fighting for your attention and money.

Entrance of Soi Twilight in the old days
I usually started the night with a drink on the terrace of Maxis bar. While sipping my rum&coke I could watch all the craziness going on in Soi Twilight. From there you had a good view on the massage boys of Bangkok Massage waiting for customers. Laughing girls passing by. Straight couples with the guy holding hands with his girlfriend and having a scared look in his eyes. Solo male tourists getting in ando ut of XBoys, Fresh Boys or Dream Boys. With or without their “catch of the day”.
The first show I watched was at Dream Boys. How shocked I was seeing the act with the ladyboy with the very small penis and the acrobatic fuck show. And you could just choose from the guys on stage by telling the staff which number you like? A bit like Chinese take-away restaurant: choose what looks tasty from the menu, tell them what number you want and take home to enjoy… A whole new world to me; buto one I found very interesting and exciting. I also remember another club at the end of Soi Twilight that had a big water tank, where boys would swim in to do some kind of underwater erotic show. Was it Classic Boys?

Watch this YouTube video to see how it was in Soi Twilight the good old days.
Anyhow; I was used to all of it pretty soon. The shows in the different bars didn’t shock me anymore. After you’ve seen a few, you come to the conclusion they are all “same, same”. The only thing that kept me intrigued for some time, was the act where they slam their
hard cocks with a loud bang into a metal pole. That must hurt! But somebody told me they really don’t slam their cock that hard into the pole. The noise is made because the slam something else (feet/leg?) into the pole at the same moment, so it looks the cock is making a harder impact than it actually does. But I never managed to actually see prove of this theory myself.

Soi Twilight closed down (2020)
Why am I writing this? Because as we all know Soi Twilight is gone. The last time I was in Bangkok, I had to settle with Patpong 2 instead. It’s good that some of the bars and clubs from Twilight found a new home in Patpong 2. But in 2020 I felt Patpong 2 was by far not having that special vibe that Twilight had. And for sure, covid19 will not have done anything good to change it become better.
But let’s look at the bright side: Bangkok still has a lot to offer when it comes to boybars, erotic shows and sexy guys. And I’m about to go on a big adventure in the LOS again.

I can't look at the KFC logo now without thinking, there's a wise man 😉

The only thing you did wrong was thinking you did something wrong.  You did nothing wrong at all.
You make a good point about trying to joke with them, at least until you know the kinds of things they think are funny and the kinds of jokes they just don't get.  Rodney Dangerfield would be a total flop in Thailand.  And don't take it personally or feel insulted if a boy calls you old or fat or bald.  That's one of their ideas of humor and they mean nothing by it.  Understanding their sense of humor takes time.  For example, if a boy calls me fat, I just laugh and tell him I'm not fat.  I'm having a baby.  That's the kind of thing they think is hilarious.

During my last trip I began taking frequent, early evening walks through Lumpinee Park. I’d wait until the sun was low and twilight would set in by the halfway mark. On some nights I’d make the trek with a friend who was off work but on other days I was pretty much alone—except for the cats.
I discovered the cats—or perhaps it was the other way around—about five minutes after entering the park. What first caught my attention was their lack of skittishness. Wherever I cam across one, it was obvious that they viewed themselves as being entirely at home, which is something you don’t expect from an animal that doesn’t have a traditional home.
As I made my way along the wide paths, I began to spot them relaxing on the grass and sometimes right in the middle of the road. It also became apparent that none appear scrawny or unhealthy. They looked like typical house cats but their house just happened to be a park.
In the vicinity of the outdoor weight exercise area, I spotted some felines stretched out on concrete benches. Some were being petted by passersby. I cautiously approached one and as I tried a tentative stroke, it rolled over on its back for a soothing massage. As I moved further along, I saw a few cats eating along the side of the road. Some folks are apparently providing cat food on a regular basis.
Soon I came to a bridge over a stream where a few folks gathered by one end. When I paused to see the source of interest, they were tossing bread crumbs to turtles near the water’s edge. The cats weren’t the park's only inhabitants to figure out how to get an evening snack. And if the turtles weren't quick, a fish would dart over and grab the morsels first.
One evening when I approached the bridge, three crows positioned themselves on the railing to catch breads crumbs mid-air tossed their way. And it wasn’t just these creatures that inhabit the park. Monitor lizards can be found wandering about (no, they’re not looking to be petted).
The park in the evening attracts many joggers of all ages. Everyone goes with the flow whether they’re out for a leisurely evening stroll or exercising to work up a good sweat.
Towards the end of our circuit, with twilight fully setting in, the park takes on a magical glow as the lights of nearby high rises reflect off the lake. It never fails to mesmerize me.
The best place to enter the park for most of us is the main gate on Rama IV near the Silom MRT station. A few refreshment stands are scattered about the park (water is 8 baht).

I was there last month. I was never directed to the service elevator, though I had previously read reports about that and was conscious of the possibility. However, I should add that the latest that I went back to Raya Hotel was probably around 11:30pm, at which hour I still used the front entrance and guest elevators. Perhaps those reports referred to the wee hours of the morning?
Then again, nowhere did I see any signs put up by the hotel to alert guests that a detour might be required at some time in the night. So maybe it's no longer the case?
By the way, my review of Raya was uploaded yesterday on my blog. https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2022/08/02/the-sequestered-fridge/
 

I retired/left the workforce 10 yrs ago at 48 yrs old. It was between Mexico and Bangkok where I wanted to move to, Pattaya was out of the question, is great to visit but I couldn't imagine living there.

The more I looked into in, Mexico was the clear winner. Easier to get residency and no reporting BS and no keeping money in their banks. Once a resident in Mexico the only thing you have to report to immigration is any change of address. I built an impressive house that would cost millions in the USA.....Also, is less than a 2 hr flight back to the US if I needed to.....almost 2 yrs ago I needed to have my gallbladder removed and flew to Boston. Merida has great hospitals and Doctors, however, I'd prefer a Boston hospital over international hospitals when having the choice.

I got a little bored after a couple of years and opened a NY Style  Pizzeria.....that has kept me more than busy. In countries like Mexico or Thailand, having even a small business like this makes you sort of a celebrity. You hear "he's the owner" just like in Thailand, he's the owner carries big weight.

My family isn't close and most of my friends have family and careers, so I hardly saw them. I hang around with almost exclusively locals between 18-35 and it makes me feel/look younger than I am. Plus Spanish is much easier to learn than Thai .....😝

I could imagine if I did go to BKK, I'd open a business there too....the bureaucracy in both places are stupid, but not impossible to overcome. I did all my own documents and even have a liquor license, all done without any bribes. Merida is in Mexico but corruption, although it exists, isn't as bad as other parts of Mexico or probably Thailand.

I read somewhere that 72% of Americans live in or close to the city they were born in. I lived in Florida for 10 years and is a very transient state, many people end up going back to where they came from....moving internationally is a huge move and with a change of language, culture and politics, isn't for everyone.

Thanks, Olddaddy, for your brutal honesty. The issue of aging and loneliness is something I believe all gay men have to come to terms with at some point. It seems to be happening now for you.
Some on the forum have found a life partner and that affects their decision to retire to Thailand. Others find that they're simply happier in Thailand than they are in their home country. But for most of us, Thailand remains a frequent destination but not our home base.
It has crossed my mind to retire to bkk but I wouldn't consider it unless I could first master the language. Learning any new language is more difficult with age but still possible if you're adequately motivated. I'm not and I can't envision a life in Thailand without being able to communicate in Thai.
If you're seeking boyfriend material, maybe just start looking for friends first. Friendships can have a way of turning into more meaningful relationships over time. But if you begin by limiting your field of candidates to sexual contacts, you may find that the relationships never grow beyond that point.
In any case, you're still a relatively young old man. You have a right to a happy future and I wish you well on your journey.
 

I was waiting for the part where you ended up in a 3-way (or more) with other guys from the gym.....🤨

Day 4-6: Fighting for a new life
Today is a new day, and for Tiago, today is the start of a new life. His main reason to be in Thailand is to stay for at least 6 months to get training in Muay Thai, as he had in Jiu Jitsu in Brazil, and economic realities meant that doing this in Thailand is way cheaper than in Brazil. It will also enabled him to get into the Asian fighting circuit that have boasted any number of Brazilians looking for easy money doing what they love to do. 
Having gotten to know him for a better part of a year, first in Brazil, then having him tag along in my travels, I am confident that he has the drive, and the skills necessary, to be a success. Probably not to the top of his sport, but enough to gain the necessary experience to further a career in this realm, to either teach the sport in western countries, or mount a school and/or gym himself in his home country, among other possibilities. He is certainly making the most of whatever physical gifts he has, and taking advantage of his youth and energy, to get to the next level.
I’ve often wondered how boys get into prostitution. It takes a certain intestinal fortitude to withstand the day to day demands to survive the mental and physical toll that is inherent in the profession. One Brazilian boy I’ve known describes it as a constant series of humiliations, being objectified, poked and prodded, facing constant rejection, doing constant negotiating, a lot of chasing, all for the money he will need to pay his bills. He still sticks to it, because it is lucrative, and since he has not gone to school, and doesn’t have any traditionally marketable skills, this is his greatest chance to get the most money that he needs. He knows that he won’t be young forever, so why not strike while the iron is hot? Having a fat 9-inch penis doesn’t hurt either.
Tiago has told me that the rigors of sauna and bar boy life aren’t for him. He is not above selling his body for money, he says, and admits he has entertained the random offers he has gotten when he is, for example, on a Brazilian beach or at a club. But he has a more stable family life and has gotten some support from his parents whenever he needed to get bailed out from a missed rent check or to refill his kitchen pantry. And he prefers using his body for fighting, a love of his that he has cultivated since he was a teen.  After getting good at Jiu Jitsu back home, he has set his sights on Thailand where he wants to spread his wings.
---
We wake up at 6 AM, to catch a 9:00 AM flight to another Thai city, where Tiago’s MMA gym is. We plan on spending 3 days there, to work out his living arrangements and secure his place in the classes that he wants to take, as well as to make sure that he has face-to-face interactions with the staff of the gym to make a determination that this was really where he wants to end up. Before this, all his conversations with the gym people have been virtual, with many video conference calls to the Brazilian part-owner and some of the Brazilian fighters on staff. Nothing beats in-the-flesh interactions, and he has asked me to form my own opinions of what I will see, to help him decide if this is indeed a good decision for him to take.
I get us a Grab Taxi to the airport, which amounted to 427 baht, since I always ask the driver to take highways, and the driver was able to add the 75 baht tolls to the fare:

The plane ride over was fairly quick and efficient. We then took a taxi to our hotel. I splurged a little bit on a resort hotel to at least get some pampering in, while taking advantage of the resort’s many pools, great restaurants, and other cool amenities. After a quick lunch, we quickly head over to the MMA Gym, to get it out of the way. Tiago wanted to spend the whole day tomorrow to just veg out in the resort with me, before we head back to Bangkok on the third day.
Any doubts Tiago had over the gym quickly melted away when we stepped out of our taxi into the gym complex. Most of the workout facilities were outdoors, and with Thailand’s sweltering heat that might not be ideal, but we see a fair number of people working out sparring with each other and with punching bags which were a-plenty.  There were two practice boxing rings that I saw, and a courtyard that had people milling about. Tiago’s eyes lit up. He was impressed. 

We were met with a Thai employee. He spoke to us in English, and as before I explained to him that Tiago didn’t speak English well. We were lead to where the living quarters would be, and we found some Brazilians who were living at the gym. Most of them then joined us and the Thai guy to take a tour of the place. There was a stage area, where the public fights happen, we were shown some of the living quarters – kitchen, bathrooms, and the room where Tiago would be staying at. It was a modest room, a bed, a fan, some shelving, closet space. We were told there was wifi all thoughout. Tiago told me this was more than enough for him. The room afforded him privacy, and a comfortable place to rest, which is all he needs.
We then met up with the Brazilian part owner. He rolled up on his motorcycle, wearing Muay Thai shorts and nothing else but his flip flops. A fighter himself, he was 35, and still very much in fighting shape not to mention fairly handsome.  A typical rugged Brazilian. After some introductions, he then takes us to his office to talk business. Tiago wanted me there with him to help with the decisions. The owner was impressed that I can speak Portuguese, and made the remark that when he first got to Thailand, he spoke no English, but learned through living here many years. Tiago then commented that he hopes that will be the case for him too. I mention my journey to Portuguese, and told them all the classes in the world were no match for actual immersion and speaking it with native people.
The owner spelled out how things worked in the gym, the daily routine, how much the classes were, the accommodations, the food. The owner will be able to give Tiago a discount if he helped out with setting up the gym first thing in the morning, and cleaning up at night, since he was short-staffed. He then tells Tiago on how he can earn money with helping to teach MMA to western farangs who come to the gym to learn as well. He says that with Thailand reopening, he has seen student numbers tick up again, and is expecting to be really busy going into the high season. Also, there will be some opportunities to fight locally, in Bangkok, and overseas in Cambodia, South Korea, and other nearby countries is also a possibility, to earn some extra pocket money.
This all sounded good to Tiago, and to me as well. After this we were shown some gyms with weights and cardio machines that Tiago can join to maintain muscle, and to a local fighting gear store where he can get his boxing gloves, tape and others things. The owner commented that it was more expensive to buy it here than in Bangkok, and recommends that if we were heading back to the capital that Tiago do his shopping there. We then sit down for some coffee (at the air conditioned gym thankfully) and just shared stories about Brazil and Thailand. The owner is very charming, and seems to be a really awesome guy, and he shared his take on how it was to live in Thailand as a Brazilian.
As Tiago and I went back to the hotel after all this, we had a long conversation about all the information that was presented to us. Both of us had a good feeling about it. Tiago’s brain was already swimming with all the things he intended to get accomplished here. Once we step of the taxi at the hotel, Tiago holds my hand as we walk back to our room, and once we were in the room he hugs me, telling me that he is grateful for this opportunity, and it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t buy his plane tickets. I told him that it was his vision that got him here. I only greased the wheels.
Plane tickets for Tiago: $453 one-way from Sao Paulo to Doha, 10k + 40k Avios points from Doha to Dubai to Bangkok. Gratitude that Tiago has shown me: Priceless
We actually went back to the MMA gym later that day, because there was a public fight scheduled that featured 5 fights. I got to talk to the other Brazilians as well. Thank goodness for hot Thailand weather.  All the fighters were shirtless, and I’ve lost count of the abs that I’ve seen total. The fights were well attended, with some farangs sprinkled in a mostly Thai audience. They sold some food and liquor during the fights, which I bet is a money maker for the owners.

As promised by Tiago, we spent the next day just vegging out. The pool, strolls around the resort complex, pool, sex in the hotel room balcony, pool, hit the buffet and the pool bar, and then a nice dinner in one of the resort restaurants. Even if there was a whole city outside this resort, I picked it to take advantage of the amenities, and also to take a break from all the running around we’ve been doing this past 3 weeks.
The next day, recharged because of the relaxing day before, and renewed because of the knowledge that Tiago will be in good hands once I leave him to his own devices next week, we were in good spirits. Tiago left his big luggage behind at the gym since he was coming back, and left with just the necessities for the rest of my stay with him in Bangkok. We consolidated all of our things into my big luggage including some in my carry-on, and then checked my big luggage at the airport for our flight to Bangkok.
That was a mistake, as I left something in the checked bag that almost ruined my night.  That’s next post.

What you say may be true but I think it is being unnecessarily rude to the person who made the inquiry.

(part 10)
As mentioned in part 9, a Thai boy who's working in X-boy asked me to take him to another bar to watch a show (X-boy itself has no longer offered any shows post-Covid). Since I like the boy and wanted to do something nice for him on my last day in Pattaya, I told him to go to Jomtien complex that night at 9pm and we would go watching a show together. I'd buy him drinks, pay his bar fine of 500, and also a short time fee of 1500. 
Then around 8pm, he messaged me with a reschedule request, saying something about having "other business". Looks like the dramatic "I was born to never watch a show" (his words via some awkward Google translation) wasn't that important. His last-minute cancellation means I scrambled to find a replacement. 
Then the next night, when I was in Bangkok already, he messaged me again, whining that he had no customer at all that night, not even a boy drink so he's broke. Turns out, on previous night, a customer to the bar bought him a drink so he cancelled me in hope of getting another off then going with me the next day. Too bad the customer didn't off him eventually and I wasn't available the day after either - a typical case of he who tries to have it all ends up with nothing.
On my way back to Bangkok, the first thing I do was to contact Boy No 26 from Dream Boy (mentioned in part 8 ) for a repeat. Guess what, he was on his way to Pattaya. It was his birthday so his boyfriend took him to Pattaya to celebrate. Wait, his boyfriend???
Turns out the one I thought was his ex back in Chiang Mai is still with him.
"So your boyfriend doesn't mind that you are working in Dream Boy?"
"No, he's also working at the same bar."
"His number was 24 right?" I jumped to a conclusion, remembering very well he picked boy No 24 when I asked him to choose a boy from the rotation.
"No, No 99."
"Aha! Then why you picked No 24 last time?"
"Because my boyfriend didn't come to work that night."    
"So if I off both you and your boyfriend at the same time, would you mind?" I asked, again just testing how far they would go (he already showed me pictures of his boyfriend, not my type at all). His answer actually surprised me a little.
"I don't like three people, but it's okay if the third person is my boyfriend" Well, well, well, it looks like if that night I actually offed No 24, No 26 wouldn't go with it. Also that's how you sell your boyfriend as an add-on
Apart from Boy No 26 going where I just left, another unfortunate coincidence was that the Tiny Lao (mentioned in part 7) has gone home for about a month to be with his family and also renew his passport. The Hotmale downstairs didn't feel the same without him. I kinda miss his warm hug and gentle touch.
This time in Bangkok, I finally paid a visit to Moonlight, the only go-go bar I haven't tried so far on this month-long trip. There were about 10 floor guys, most of whom are neither here nor there (not twink but not hunk either). I just read Numazu's latest report and am very curious about his MonBoy (the same way I'm about Vinapu's K - the nice single dad in Tawan), but can't recall anyone that impressive the night I visited.
Then the pre-show model parade. At least three of them, Tum, Babe and Korn (and probably Smarch also) looked like they had their nose redone. 
Babe looked tired with under-eye circles clearly visible despite heavy makeup. His smiles were still very sweet though.
Tum and York appeared to be following in Nicky's footsteps with flabbier arms and fat rippling around the belly area. I guess they are pushing 40 and at that age, working out alone would not suffice anymore. You need to watch what you eat and drink, and also the quality of your sleep, to minimize fat deposit.
Korn was the only model who showed any form of 6 packs that night. Personally, I found the guys in Jupiter more "model-like" than those in Moonlight. Well-toned, flat stomach, lean but ripped body, nice height/size ratio.

And for perspective, below is Jupiter's poster boy, who is over 30 but still can keep that Ms. Universe-like waistline to go with his well-developed chest and arms. (in real life, his waist looks even smaller and arms more muscular)

There wasn't much going on in the tip department although the house was half-packed with mostly Asian customers.
Before, it often looked like someone got tipped every few minutes or so in that bar, which made me think they probably used fake tips to get the ball rolling, especially when it comes to 1000-Baht garlands.

Like if Day 1, models A and B get a garland, then Day 2, models C and D would get it, and so forth. Sometimes, model A gets 2 garlands on Day 1, or he gets another on Day 2. So my guess is that: the first one on Day 1 was staged by the bar. Any extra one on the same day or those on other days were actually from customers. 
What I saw this time seems to confirm my theory: very early in the parade one model got a garland (can't remember it was Nut or Smarch), presented by a Mamasan, who pointed vaguely at someone (could be anyone) in the audience. The same Mamasan then walked around the house, waving a bunch of garlands but there were no takers. So no one else got that 1000B tip, and throughout the show, only two or three models got tipped 100B with a nip of whisky.
Finally, to answer @AlexThompson's question about Bangkok pre- vs. post-Covid, I would say cheaper accommodation, fewer tourists, more discounts at brand name shops, much less traffic at least at night (very easy to cross Suwarong road in the evening these days), more willing boys on apps (I met a few university graduates who haven't been able to find a job and who said they never thought they would sell themselves on app before Covid) - which I like. On the other hand, fewer gay bars, fewer options for traveling to Pattaya, and fewer street food stalls - which I don't like.
One thing I certainly have problems with is the increasing number of straight MBs, who appear to use "being man" as an excuse for doing next to nothing in bed. I understand if they are unwilling about being f*ck, but no sucking and no kissing? in this kind of profession and for that kind of money? Some don't even perform the top role because they say they can't get hard for another man. Basically those would just lie there, being serviced and then getting paid handomely for "being a man"!
Before Covid, I had heard about and also met many willing straight boys from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, who could do everything. Vietnamese boys were notorious exceptions. Now, it doesn't seem the case anymore, at least in those Bangkok and Pattaya go-go and host bars I visited. It looks like those straight boys, regardless of nationality, just copied each other by asking for more while doing less.  
Speaking of which, most Viet boys working in gay bars in Bangkok are straight and came from rural areas in central Vietnam (read: conservative and narrow-minded). So even when they are "reduced to" selling sex to men to earn a living, they still want to keep the illusion of "being a man with dignity and all" (I'm talking about this from the perspective of a Vietnamese).
There is also peer pressure. Since they all got into this line of work through friends and acquaintances, they kinda know each other, forming a fairly close-knitted community with well-kept secrets (of course nobody in the village back home know what they are actually doing in Thailand). And in that small community, no one wants others to know that he can be anally f*cked by men.
I've seen this in Vietnam too, many times. Some boys let me top them for more money, but made me promise I don't tell their MB peers about that.
So if you really like a cute but unwilling boy, just try to get him into bed first. Then with patience, temptation of extra tip and the psychological power of situation, we and he himself would never know what he's capable of doing. Like that time a boy moved to French kiss me when he was about to cum, his first man-to-man kiss ever, as he later admitted, blushingly , and that he didn't think it could be so hot.
Outside go-go bars, there are now quite a few Viet boys who work freelance on the app in Bangkok. They are mostly gay, from the south (read: more open- and business-minded), taking good care of their appearance, willing to do many things in bed sometimes for less (they still earn more than what they normally make at home though). I frequently ran into some of those southern boys in Silom road (their favorite spot is the the bus stop located between Patpong 1 and Silom Soi 6), who openly solicited in the street with "massage offers".
Several Viet go-go boys when they learned that I'm from the north mentioned a boy from Hanoi who worked in Jupiter before Covid. That was the one who could do everything in bed, they told me. He went to gym, even got a facelift, and became very popular. After just a few years working in Bangkok, he already saved enough to buy a house back home. That's no small feat considering a small house in Hanoi could easily set you back more than a hundred thousand US dollars.
So "Why don't you guys try to be like him?" I asked those boys, who were good-looking but admitted they have been able to save little or not at all from their work. Try to be more accommodating and get more customers, make a decent sum and then get the hell out of this line of work, go home open your own business and settle down (the last parts remain a life-long dream for many rural guys in Vietnam).
But it looks like my advice always fell on deaf ears. Like that very cute Viet twink used to work in Lucky Boys I mentioned in a previous post. He got called from the stage by three different groups of customer, both Asians and farangs, in the span of a couple of hours I was there (and it wasn't even a busy night) but still no offs because later he told me, they all wanted him to bottom for them. He could have lost probably at least 300 potential customers per year (not to mention possible repeats) which translates into no less than 600K. Still, he couldn't care less about my math.
While I was typing this part in the airport, Boy No 26 messaged me saying he just arrived in Bangkok. Are we star-crossed lovers or something? I jokingly asked if he's willing to do it in the airport. He replied with "555", so I said goodbye, hoping we'll have a chance to meet next time. Also told him if I ever see his boyfriend in Dream Boy, I'll tell the boyfriend he picked No 24 the last time. And with that little warning, I left Bangkok.
(to be continued)  

Since the bars are closed tonight (I did not factor the public holiday into my planning!), I thought I would have a night off and give a little bit of an update. I'm coming towards the end of my Thailand trip and it has been really great to be back here after a 2.5 year absence. My last update was made in the Phuket airport waiting for the flight back to Bangkok which was pretty non-eventful and upon arrival, I caught the arl/bts to Sala Daeng and walked with my suitcase back to Tarntawan whilst it was lightly raining. The room type I chose for this leg of the trip was the 'executive' and even though it is smaller than the corner suite I stayed in previously, I think I like this one better as it has a full length floor to ceiling window and a view which gives it a brighter feel (the corner suite felt a little dark and there was not much of a view).
Dreamboys: Unexpectedly, and despite my plans for butterflying around, I have a regular boy here now - I'll call him DB (for lack of a better nickname) for short. As mentioned previously, he was my best off of my last trip to Thailand (2019) and we ended up reconnecting when I arrived here a couple of weeks ago. I didn't tell him I was coming, I just showed up and surprise! Anyway, I have offed him 4 times so far and every time it has been a really hot experience. There is definitely some sexual chemistry there, he kisses really well, is passionate, is always smiling and cheeky, has a beautiful body and an attractive face. And little things like he is not afraid to kiss me straight after he has just cum in my mouth. We are quite similar in age so it feels like he could just be a friend. I could easily fall for him, but I'm not the type to get attached so easily. It's just really nice when you are familiar with someone. It's these kinds of connections that I'm looking to make, and bear in mind that I haven't been doing these Thailand trips for that long so I still have plenty more time and plenty more trips to look forward to. I do like the boys at dreamboys - there is a wide variety and probably someone for everyone, but oh my lord, it is so loud!!!
Freshboys: I decided to give this place another go after my last encounter with a straight boy, and inspired by @Min I asked the mamasan for a list of who is gay and got her to write it down for me. Being gay is not always an indication that they will perform better, but I'm sure that they will likely do more than the straight boys who do nothing. Anyway, some good choices from the list but I decided to go with the boy who had been previously trying really hard to get my attention the last time I went. Effort deserved reward right? Well.. this encounter was different. I wouldn't say that he was the dud, more like I was lol. Anyway, when he sat with me he was very clingy straight from the get go, and he was trying really hard in the bedroom, but I just wasn't really into it. He wasn't unattractive, and he has a really nice body but for some reason I just could not get into it. Kudos for him though as he was able to fuck longer that some of the other guys that I've had. I'll chalk it up to experience. 
Massage: I went to Prime again (gosh I love that place) and opted for a 1 hour Thai/1 hour oil and my goodness the oil massage was getting pretty sensual towards the end and I wondered if this was going to be one of the rare times where a handjob would be given, but alas it was not, but I didn't really mind as the massage quality was quite good. I also had a foot massage at Green (just right in front of Tarntawan). Since I walk past all the time, and the boys out the front see me walk past with a different guy, I thought I would try it out. Decent foot massage, nothing to complain about. And I also tried the star massage (one of the many on soi 6) - I decided to try them as they have quite a strong social media presence. Opted for an oil massage, but the guy at the counter said I could have an aroma oil massage for a discount, and I didn't ask to choose the masseur as the one that was assigned to me was pretty hunky. The massage itself was fine, a 'special' was offered (handjob) which I accepted, and it was just okay. There is a fine art to a sensual massage and there have been few that have been able to achieve - the subtle touches, the "accidental" grazes etc - all of those things are really important to segue seamlessly into the afters. I want to really be gagging for it! I often walk down soi 6 and there are quite a few massage shops there which are probably worth exploring.
Other things: I haven't been doing a lot of the things which I had planned as I seem to always be tired - whilst the time difference between here and my country is only an hour, I am usually in bed by 9pm and awake by 5am, but here when I'm going to bars at around 10pm, and not going to sleep until 2am or so, but my body still wants to wake up at around 5 or 6am, there are going to be problems! I also developed this cough which has mostly gone now, and earlier in the trip I found some red dots that appeared on my leg which I thought may have been monkey pox so I went to the hospital - turns out they were (I think) burst blood vessels and the doctor gave me some tablets and topical medicine (which I didn't end up taking, but the dots went away on their own). I've been doing a lot of walking though, went to some of the shopping malls (central world, Siam paragon etc), and have been eating a wide assortment of food - stuff from 7/11, local Thai food from grab, and sit down restaurants in shopping centres. I even tried out a vegan restaurant which was nice. There have also been numerous times where I am spoken to in Thai, which amuses me, so perhaps I had better learn a little of the language so I am able to answer back in Thai rather than just looking confused before they realise I'm not actually Thai.
I have 2 more days here before I go back to my reality, and definitely will look forward to my next trip now that international travel is more accessible - hopefully the end of the year. 

Introduction
If this pandemic has ever taught me anything, is that to never take anything for granted ever again.
My last trip to Thailand was in December 2019. That trip was the only Thailand trip I had that year, having prioritized Brazil and Colombia that year. I was already figuring out that Brazil catered more to my evolving taste for both boys, sex and entertainment, but I was still wanting to go to Thailand because of the food, the locations, and yes, of course the boys. Thailand's unwillingness to reopen as soon as others have (during the pandemic), however, has given me the opportunity to visit Brazil more, thus deepening my connection to that country, at the expense of the Land of Smiles. Throughout all that though, I've been trying to go back to Thailand since it always will hold a special place in my heart.
I remember my last international trip before air travel was paused during the pandemic. No surprise, it was to Brazil. I remember entering Sao Paulo on March 17, 2020. The plane was half full, the streets of Sao Paulo where empty, and everyone was sheltering in place, even if Carnaval ended just 3 weeks before. On March 19, Brazil closed its land borders.  After that, I finally decided to go back home on March 23, 2020, fearing that flights back to the USA would be cancelled eventually.  And I was right. On March 27 they announced that Brazil would close all its borders, even air, on March 30.

Thailand had a similar thought process, closing its land borders on March 18, and then all borders on March 26, 2020.
I know that I am not the only one to think that this pandemic was only going to be 2-week thing when it started. And then a month rolled by, and then 3 months. Since I was just at home, my routine started to change. I exercised more. Ate better. I did more video calls, both for work, and for friends far away, similarly stuck at home, wondering when this will all end. I’ve gotten lots of desperate cries for money from boys (Brazil, Thailand, Colombia) without any incomes with all the saunas and clubs closed. Though it all, I thought I did pretty good for myself, and actually was able to focus on other important things that I wouldn’t normally would have without the urgency of the pandemic looming all over us.
I was pained of course, as I had plans to go Thailand over Songkran in 2020:
And then something miraculous happened: Brazil decided to open up again. July 30 was the date, so after only 4 months of staying put, I was able to travel again. And it was glorious. Less people in airports and airport parking which meant less time needing to be at the airport. Less people flying which means either instant upgrades to Business class, or having a row to myself in economy. Less stupid tourists clogging up the streets, and less people in the streets in general. And yeah, you had to wear a mask in the plane, but at that point, I’ve gotten used to it, and counted myself lucky to still be even traveling to care.
And with Brazil’s infinite wisdom, most of the clubs in Rio and Sao Paulo opened up as well, which meant that I was sometimes the only gringo at the premises.  I certainly made the most of it, judging from these trip reports:
 
Through it all though, I’ve had Thailand in the back of my mind.  When the hell will it ever open up? 2021 rolled around. Apart from my monthly, multi-week trips to Brazil, I’ve pretty much scoured most of Western Europe, the Middle East and Mexico. But Thailand has remained closed. (I’ve also have been keeping my eye on Japan, which is still in a weird reopening phase. I’ve been dying to return.) I see domino after domino of COVID restrictions fall down. Except Thailand. I shared this in August 2021:
Then the Phuket sandbox happened in July 2021, and while appealing, still was too restrictive for me. And news about the bars still closed was disheartening. Then Thai Pass was introduced in November 2021, and that felt more appealing to me, though the RT-PCR requirement, and the quarantine hotel requirement was something that was a bit unnerving to me. It just introduced (perhaps unnecessary) wildcards to a supposedly wonderful trip. I’d rather just go straight to Brazil, (even with their evolving COVID requirements as well – from medical insurance requirements, to COVID test, to having scrapped everything as of April 2022), and their open bars.
I finally bit the bullet and bought my ticket to Bangkok last April. I was heading to Dubai in June, and found it interesting to instead head over to Bangkok after that trip instead of high-tailing it back to California. Also, Thailand dropping the COVID test requirement for vaccinated travelers was the deciding factor for me as well. The COVID dominos were starting to fall in Thailand.  The June 12 announcement that the USA was dropping its COVID testing requirement to enter the USA was another domino falling that was just icing on the cake.  It seems that the stars are aligning in just the right times for me to make a comeback in Thailand.
So next post will be my preparations for the trip, and the REAL reason I am going to Thailand.
P.S.  To new posters, yes, I am always this long-winded when it comes to my trip reports.  An example:
 

Day 21
In the morning no trace either one of us two being bored or hungry so we just brushed our teeth and returned to vertical position doing a lot of romantic stuff and talking . It was well past 10 when we decided to call meeting over, tip was paid with some extra bonus  and we marched to world famous for my last breakfast this trip. Usually when I dine with boys there,  they are sitting facing me, L decided for some reason to sit just beside.
So when I got this extremely bright idea in some moment of enlightenment I could easily whisper to his ear “ are we going back to the room?, I’ll tip you extra” only to receive smile and nod in response. It looks that my last day will be spent almost all in bed, not that I’m complaining.
Back to the room for more gymnastics and some talk. In meantime I discretely responded to X question if I want to see him today , unfortunately no. I liked his classy response “ thank you for  supporting me all other days”. Equally discretely I confirmed to K that I will see him at 4 as agreed previously and as result around 3 pm. I initiated parting rites after what was longest off I ever had in Thailand. I did it with bit of heavy heart as it was nice to spent all that time with L and hope for repeat in the future. I kept my side of bargain and tipped him again for that not so short short time after breakfast and even walked him to the Silom rd where we shook hands farang way.
At 4 I could see from my window K’s motorbike parking at front and minute or two later we were embracing again. With 4 LT and 3 ST he was staple of my trip  and for me he was hunk of my dreams with no attitude, never rushing and smooth but steely body of semi-god, muscular  but not overbuilt.
No doubt he realized that I liked him so shortly after arrival  he jokingly tried to discount his popularity with me showing me picture of motorcycle and telling that if I buy him that machine he will give his motorbike to his father.
But after I found very good answer “ I will not buy it because I don’t have motorcycle myself “ he turned everything into joke.
It was not out of this world request since I know former Tawan guy later transplanted to Jupiter whom I offed dozen times who got big machine from his Chinese lady client, I even saw her in the bar not to mention I was awarded trip to Hualampong by that vehicle. No, that phishing this time did not spoil my experience and we had normal fun as every time before. At one point Jason1975 reported arrival in BKK and I told him  K and me  will be dining at G”Bangkok so he can join us.
And in fact  shortly after we sat down there I heard my name, Jason came to say hallo and shake hands and I had impression in K he liked what he saw asking me where I got him from. Being discreet gentleman I whispered where from.
Dining at soi 4 was not good idea today as all Pride attendees descended on the soi so place was noisy and very busy and I was glad I had my own, much more quiet celebration in my room.
Another sad good bye today but I always maintain one can’t return without going away first.
K went to his bar on his old motorbike , I walked to hotel to pack and since I travel lightly I did not take too much time  but spent rest of time on my tablet  until time came to roll my suitcase to Chong Nonsi. Night guard  waved me good bye smiling knowingly and I don’t even try to guess    what he thought of me but who cares.
I was in airport bit too early , everything went smoothly and flight to Zurich where I had connection was uneventful . We arrived quite early and it was very refreshing after 3 weeks in tropics to finally get some crisp cool air on the terminal’s roof.
22nd trip was over, for a change after arriving home I almost did not have jet lag at all, no idea why but it was nice bonus.
Thank you for all your likes and comments and now for  a while I will be much more quiet here on the forum.

Day 20
Eventually I become hungry so I went to world famous for late breakfast.  Few tables away I saw farang with boy bit past his prime whose face looked somewhat familiar. He recognized me as well , smiled and  while walked toward me  to shake hands I recalled who he is. Another surprise reunion this trip ! Alek from Tawan , guy I took to Pattaya at his insistence  for few days back in 2016.
Few years later I saw him passing by on Silom and must say now that time was not very generous to him as he gained a lot of weight but certainly his farang was generous as I noticed few gold trinkets , ring , bracelet , chain , you name it. We did not talk much as he was in company and I did not want to be rude although judging by smile , his farang , himself quite a good looking, did not mind his boy met old acquaintance in such a classy upscale place.
Being there I finally decided to visit Patpong Museum right across the soi. Ticked 350 , including 50 baht drink credit and a guide. Since I was only visitor at the moment , it was my personal guide. It’s well organized and informative although nor really much is said or shown about gay scene  but let’s be honest for years Screwboys was only boy bar in whole area so no wonder boys are taking back seat there.
I asked about Madrid Tavern, I was told  owner decided to move it to Charoen Krung which was news then . Now we know as it was discussed in another thread. Should be easy to find as it seems to be in plaza on corner of that road with Silom. Hope somebody in BKK now will make a survey and reports. Since new place is called Madrid café and bar if I recall I hope that Madrid Tavern will be resurrected in old location , if only because for me it’s only place in entire world with edible pizza.
Then I took BTS to first station on other side of river Krung Thonburi to check new driverless BTS golden line. Only 2 stops, cost 15 baht but first stop is iconic Icon Siam mall.  It was very fruitful trip for me as only purchase I made was few dragon fruits  red inside. For some reason ones with white inside are much , much popular and I like red as it seems bit sweeter. I’m big dragon fruit eater and it’s my staple when in Thailand and always have at least one in my room.
 I returned old way i.e. by free shuttle boat to Saphan Taksin.
In meantime  for zillionth time it was confirmed that world is small place and everybody knows everybody. I got message from one boys I met in Pattaya that he had  accident while driving his friend’s  motorbike and  he was forced to spent his rent money on repairs and was asking for help.
So I politely answered that at the moment I can’t help because I have friend who broke his leg and is immobile so I need to help him instead. You may recall from day 15 that it was a case of Namo. To strengthen my case I forwarded a picture of that stitched leg. Answer was bit shocking “ so you know Namo ?”
How they know each other remains mystery but I think Pattaya guy once mentioned that for a time he was working in some massage place in Patpong area and most likely it’s how he knew Namo. Who would think? On another hand probably most of us  have stories like that to tell.
Since I badly needed consolation after derailment last night in meantime I arranged for Besty,  freelance masseur I already saw few times to come to my room at 4 p.m. and on the dot he arrived. Dressed in while polo, white shorts, white socks and while shoes and as very soon I discovered , sporting also white underwear . White looked very good on him so I comment about it , it turned he went to temple to make a merit and that’s reason for such a neat outfit.
If I have any regrets about this trip is that I did not invite him more often. Not only massage is great  and conversation interesting but I sense that for some reason he really liked me, KFC syndrome perhaps ?
 Today we were in bit romantic mode and it definitely cured my soul and body. Sensing that it’s our last meeting this trip I gave him bonus and only can hope I will meet him again next trip and he will still like me then.
Not that I needed another massage today but soon after Besty left I went to see Neo at his place as I prepared envelope with some cash for his brother Namo. No,  neither one of them asked nor even thinly suggested  any donation , I just feel  that in circumstances it is right thing to do. After knowing Neo so many years  I felt a little bit shy to ask him for massage and even told him that but he said ‘why not, I won’t bite you “ and we both laughed so off upstairs we went. It was better than I expected although in the back of my head it crossed my mind that I feel like betraying my Namo with his own brother, LOL.
Doubly massaged today I returned to hotel to shave and shower and prepare myself for my last night in Bangkok. ( I can hear sigh of relief from readership that all this mumbling will be over very soon. It will, just bear with me guys ).
Since I had great hopes last night which not exactly materialized  to specification I had only one goal for today. New Twilight and if possible to off L from there.
I was greeted by few smiles , after all I was just there yesterday with reader, L was nowhere to be seen but since he is in show I thought he may be preparing himself for that part. I called one of guys reader tipped yesterday to seat with me  but told him I won’t be offing him tonight so from time to time he was going back to the stage until show started.
All 4 dancers were offing material , of course L outshined all but got me worried too- he was only one who did not smile at me even if I was in first row. But hope dies last so when show was wrapping out I told  mamasan , one who used to work at Moonlight that I want to talk to L after show. Soon other boy was tipped and thanked to make room for new arrival and I saw L marching toward me with shy smile.
Perhaps it’s his trademark because as soon as he sat down he turned out to be clingy and chatty. I broke  possible ice right away saying “ I remember you from Moonlight “ ,then continued my normal off liturgy   ‘are you going with me?”, ‘ yes’ , ‘long time ‘ , ‘yes’, “do you kiss “  ‘ yes”, ‘ how much you want? ‘ , answer was surprisingly modest in comparison to S’s  few weeks ago, not that it would matter as my mind was set although I have my upper limit above which I rather opt for other options i.e. Line V if he is available .
 New Twilight is pretty generous with boys drinks as they receive 120 out of 350 drink price and that’s paid off as soon as they leave bar.
My usual dinner offer was declined as he already ate his and I was not hungry either. Even from 7/11 only thing he wanted was toothbrush but I always have 1 or 2 of those handy we did not even go there as my refrigerator was kind of neatly stocked.
What can I say ?  It’s real life sarcasm that often we find our gem  guys just before we need to go to the airport. Happened to me before , happened to few members as well, happened to me this time.
His English is rather good so over few beers we chatted at length about his life, few business ventures, bar life. He is very happy with NewTwilight and said boys like and support each other.
Told me about his love of dance and how he survived pandemic and closures and slowly but surely lights were dimmed, shirts shed, showers taken and bit of intimacy commenced. Growing bit of intimacy.
No, no complains about lack of sleep, being tired or touched indecently. In view of incoming long trip home all I needed was  romantic and sleepless night. And it worked to the specification.
Since he is gay it made me realizing that I like gays , so hot yet romantic people, who would think ?
Normally I should finish with sentence ‘ and so day 20 finished ‘ but not this time. Why? That's the story for tomorrow.   

"Doctor, tell me, if I quit drinking will, will I live longer?"
"It will definitely feel longer. "