[Bar boys in Jomtien Complex]

On 10/12/2023 at 6:11 PM, Marc K said:

Many of the massage houses (at least in Bangkok) are changing, now sending out a daily "menu" of available "treats" on Line, but bars seem stuck in their old ways. Why?

Could probably be attributed to privacy and legal issues.

Bars operate in a discrete tea money to authorities way, it's easier to pass off massage to online customers as a legitimate legal service but if bars start posting too much online it could potentially bring unwanted attention.

There are a lot of guys in bars that don't want their photos online associated with this line of work as well, I know a few that don't use the apps in case friends or someone from their hometown sees them and the rumours/gossip makes its way back to family and hometown.

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

On 10/10/2023 at 1:54 PM, vinapu said:

top floors , so called penthouse rooms at Copa and Ambiance and all rooms with balcony or terrace at Classrooms

Thank you kindly, I just needed to look up from my peasant floors it seems haha.

I did see that area at the top of Ambiance from my room at Copa, I assumed it was a restaurant because of no dividers between the rooms, today I learned.

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

I decided to try Copa Hotel for a change in Boyztown, overall i was happy with the experience. I'm wondering if any of the Boyztown hotels have rooms with a balcony where I don't need to go downstairs to have a cigarette, suggestions welcome if anyone has a tip on that?

Second road outside the Boyztown entrance is a mess with construction (still), I swear that last time i was in Pattaya the road works were just 100m up the road, they must be paid by the hour.

I spent some nights in Castro for the shows, one of the backup dancers i previously fawned over at the Venue is in the show at Castros now. I didn't try to pursue him with tips this time, he seemed uninterested and I had other interests that needed my attention.

I ventured into Toyboys on a few occasions, most nights 10-20 guys on stage, mix of twink and twunk. On the last night i spent there I had been ushered in and sat down with a drink while the stage stands there staring at me, waiters/papasans? constantly asking me who i want and me repeating every minute or two that i'm not sure yet. I eventually called down a guy and ordered him a drink, not 1 minute later a guy I would consider a solid 9/10 struts into the bar putting on his number, he doesn't even get one leg on the stage before I point at the empty side of me. Now i need to break it to the first guy that he no longer is required, i sheepishly deliver the decision with the red note runner-up prize in hand and make my leave with a new shiny regular added to my growing list of repeats.

Finally, I spent a few nights with the Winner crew in Sunee. Still no sign of the much rumoured new Sunee venues, but we can live in hope as I see the 7/11 that was closed during covid is back at least. a 7/11 nearby can only mean one thing, there is still life and baht in the area, or hope.

Anyway, Winner is still somewhere I have a good time anytime I go. I went there one night telling myself I'm just going for a drink and to chat with the owner and guys for a bit, no offs tonight. Hours later i stumble out drunk after all kinds of rambunctious actions under cushions arm in arm with someone new.

That's about it for this instalment of Pattaya, I will be back there sometime soon. I took the Jomtien bus back to Bangkok where I'm currently planning my next steps and chasing down some guys on that hitlist of mine. 

To be continued..

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

7 hours ago, vinapu said:

Believe me , I feel your pain having the same from one of Bkk masseurs. To make things worse , I genuinely like him, even offed him few times but all that bombarding with 'I miss you , have you eaten yet  /" etc  made me almost suicidal or murderous.

I guess it's his way of showing gratitude but as my friend  familiar with that issue said ' he is not helping his case" Sadly he is right. It's idiotic situation for me when in Bangkok. I miss the guy and still do my best not to pass by his shop in case he sees me. 

Maybe we should just change our line display names to 'not looking for bf, no money', maybe that could help haha.

It is a pain though, i'll be back in pattaya again very soon and i like Soda massage... i'm sure this story hasn't concluded yet 

[jomtien doubts]

It will depend on a lot on what environment (bar or gogo) and types of guys you like, but the good news is that everything is close enough to get from one area to the other any night you want to. Just wave down and hop on a baht bus facing the direction you want and pay the 10 baht to the driver when it stops going the direction you want, it's only about 10 mins from central pattaya to jomtien in low traffic.

Jomtien are host bars and massage, so guys will all be sitting in the open and you walk past while they try to pry you into their bar or shop. It can be a little less intimidating than a gogo for newcomers where 10s of guys on stage are staring at you until you bring someone down for a drink.

Boyztown is a mix of gogos like dream boys, toyboys and boysboysboys (among others) and some host bars of a similar style to Jomtien but less hosts usually. A benefit i find with Boyztown is it's a lot more central and you have more at your doorstep.

Sunee is really down to one gogo (for me) Winner Boys which sits down the mostly dark sunee plaza and can vary night to night but usually 5-10 guys, don't expect the big show stage of boys like in regular gogos. it's a more, umm, intimate environment and usually takes a few drinks flowing to get things interesting.

If it's your first time and you have over 2 weeks, i'd split my hotel stays 50/50 between jomtien and boyztown then just take a mototaxi to sunee if you want to go.

Not all guys are on the apps, it can be a good way to fill an hour to see whos around, but if you really want to see whats on offer you need to put foot to pavement anytime after about 9pm for most bars and gogos, after 1pm-ish for massage places. 

The bar that's best is the bar that has the guy who enticed you in for a drink, no one has the same taste as anyone else on here.

Drink prices, off fees and tip expectations, just ask the guy. if the price works then go enjoy your time with them.

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

Onward to Pattaya, I opted for a new mode of transport (for me), the bus from BKK to Jomtien for 165 baht. It was on time, no issues and I got some free entertainment. 

I boarded the bus and made my way up the aisle to find someone sitting in my selected window seat, not to worry, it’s a short trip I’ll survive. Then he begins playing football youtube videos on his phone with the sound up, ok I’ve got my airpods back I’ll play some music. After 10 minutes of his videos he opens up the line contacts and starts messaging the girls to meet while facing his phone directly at me, ok I’m locked in now, pour me some tea.

First Reply: “I cannot I visit my mom until 30^th”
Damn, I’m sure that’s who she’s with.

After about 10 minutes and multiple chats going nowhere, he’s got one replying, I try not to smirk as he is trying to negotiate bareback with this girl with his phone centimetres from my face on full brightness. Long story short, she basically made him jump through hoops for 30 minutes while he tries to convince her, then she drops “2000 baht you pay in advance now”.

I’m screaming internally DO NOT FUCKING DO IT, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF BUDDHA! Thankfully, he seems to have given up at that, he rests his head on his clenched fist and leans against MY window looking out in sorrow. cheer up lad, you're on your way to a buyers market.

Overall, the bus trip was fine, it took about the same amount of time as my usual Nam’s trip at a tenth of the cost. I jumped on a mototaxi with my backpack and headed into Jomtien complex where I had booked my stay, I could have walked it from the bus station, but it was hot and I hadn’t eaten all day so I’ll overpay for the 1 minute ride.

In the mornings/afternoons when i rise I usually find my perch at O’Delicies or Dicks with breakfast and some coffee while I watch the Soda massage arrivals. There were anywhere from 10-20 on any given day, two of which i promptly added to my mental note 'hitlist'.

I've got another massage story... same rules, i know mistakes etc etc.

My first massage at Soda I'd call my redemption massage, the massage itself was lacking but finding a twink to give a strong thorough massage is not an easy task. He was ok though, and we made our way around the room in a flurry of suspicious noise-invoking moves before I tipped him for his performative dance. As i'm getting dressed he drops a "i love you" and i chose to ignore it (this will be red flag #1 for later reference).

The next day as i saunter up looking for the other name on my mental hitlist i see the second guy but he's sporting a bloody nose, tissues rammed up there and head tilted back. I'm not going to risk that coming undone for my massage, so i request day 1 guy again and off we go. The massage itself was fine, the turn and dance was good, but then he asks to exchange line and i reluctantly add him knowing it's just going to be money requests later. The moment after i leave the shop my phone is blowing up with i love you, what you do later, all kinds of love bombing emojis.

I don't have love on the mind so i decide to ignore the messages, well that just makes it worse apparently, now its turned to 'why dont you reply, why dont you love me, am i bitch', it goes on. All very dramatic for a guy i've known for 2 hours, half of that time having face planted in a table. 

I block him knowing that I have to walk past this shop multiple times a day, and oh boy, the dirty looks every time i step foot out of my hotel. I decided i might give Soda a cooldown period so i don't get stabbed.

The usual suspects were at the host bars in the evenings in Jomtien, some were good looking, some were too pushy, but plenty of opportunities.

I did find myself bored in Jomtien complex for the first time though and I was having issues at Agate with my Russian straight couple neighbours on the other side of the paper-thin walls. I'm not sure if it's a low-season phenomenon or if straights don't look at where they're staying, but the demographics of Agate were a lot different than my previous trips, I felt like the only gay in the village and the hotel looked to be fully booked.

The neighbour couple certainly were not fans of what i was doing with one of my regulars right as they sat down to eat dinner in their room one evening, I don't speak Russian but i got a good sense of what they were saying. Of course my regular who loves a bit of playful banter took it upon himself to turn it up a notch both with his vocals and the slapping sounds. I couldn't stop him if i tried, but he is the reason i can no longer look them in the eyes when i step out onto my balcony.

Time to leave, I've done enough to Jomtien for the time being. I hop on the baht bus and venture off to stay in Boyztown and spend some time at my favourite little gogo in Sunee.

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

6 minutes ago, DenverDude said:

This reminds me a little bit of my first trip to Thailand.  I was in Phuket and went to a massage place, told them I wanted a male therapist.  I'm confident the mamasan understood but after I'm on the table a female comes in the room.  I kind of threw a fit, and a male was then sent in.  Sadly the massage was just a massage, and a very mediocre one at that.

Probably the right course of action for my future reference. The mixed male and female shops have always been hit and miss for me, but i never learn my lesson.

[First Trip Report: Bangkok September 2023]

On 9/25/2023 at 3:48 AM, vinapu said:

that's great idea but my bank doesn't offer such vehicle, if fact I never hear any of banks here do.

out of curiosity - can you also withdraw  cash using the same rate or it just applies to purchases ?  

Not trivial problems as so far very few boys if any , are using terminals to collect their tips  ( aparently some upper end call girls offer such an option ) 

I can hear my accountant now, "so what exactly is the 'Freshboys mobile payment terminal' you spent all of these -100.00 transactions at every night at 3am local time"

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

I had arranged my airbnb from day 2, so in the morning I head out to go meet the host and pickup my keys. The room is ok I guess, but I’m starting to wonder who got the idea of misleading sizes in their photos first, grindr or Airbnb. Not to worry, it has a bed, a washing machine and a friendly security guard at the front.

My second arrangement for the day was due to catch his flight from hometown into BKK that afternoon, he is a non-mb in the traditional sense and someone I’ve known for a couple of years now. The expectation from him is generally gifts in exchange for BFE. He stayed with me for about a week and well, I guess his actual boyfriend in farangland may have caught on (to me or one of the others he runs off with) because there was some significant mood change and not much action after day 2 after some private phone calls happened. I got the real BFE from then on, no sex just me buying dinner every night.

As the arrangement had stopped meeting my expectations the gifts stopped. I did of course still enjoy this time with him, we did a bit of restaurant hopping and markets and things, nothing too exciting or noteworthy but always nice to have pleasant company and a translator with a cute smile.  Eventually after his planned trip is over, I get him back to BKK airport and he’s on a flight back to farangland to live happily ever after with visa sponsor #1.

Off to the Apple store to get a replacement airpod, 2500 baht and a few minutes of dodging tables of people touching the new colour ‘same same but different’ phone and I’m out of there into torrential downpours. Oh, this is the rainy season I’ve heard so much about. I’m not one to wade through floodwaters so I spent the night inside wondering what could have been if I decided to outbid the farangland bf, not at the very start of my trip was my conclusion. I should wait at least 2 weeks before I fall in love with ‘definitely not’ a moneyboy again.

I need a good cleanse from all this relationship drama being near me, so I’m off to Pattaya to indulge in some long cigarettes, survey the financial market for investments and see what falls in my lap. Next update sometime soon
 

[Cheer and moaning in land of smiles - 2023 trip report]

"when you come back bb"
"come see me soon krap"
"new iphone come out darling, can you buy me my phone break"

The waiting back home for the next trip is always the worst, with loving messages of past flings sporadically appearing in Line, they must really miss me. Lucky for me the wait is over and i'm back in the thick of it once again, dodging the guys I should've known better to avoid in the first place while chasing down the new and shiny ones that will soon become the former.

This report will be breaking some of my own rules, after one previous live report was shown to a guy i was with, i told myself i will never do a live report again.. but here we are, so if you ever feel the urge to show my ramblings to anyone.. just don't! i've got enough headaches in my life. I'm going to do my best to protect the identities of myself and my acquaintances, let's all play nice and respect that.

I'm going to be adding to this report over the next few months, how long, i still don't know because i've quit my job and decided i'll go spend time travelling around SEA as long as I want/need/can. I'm here for twinks, relaxation, food and sights.. in that order.
I’m posting in the Thailand forum, but it will venture out into the unknown at a later date.

 

--- Start of Bangkok ---
Window shades up, tray tables locked, seats in upright positions.. there will be no further safety instruction, here i go.

I had been dealing with a whirlwind of issues before my departure date which saw me flying around my home country for the days before I was set to embark on my longest ever trip, the stress of it all and flights to and fro really messed with my ability to plan this trip. So there i was about to check-in to my Thai Airways direct to BKK without a plan or even an onward flight booking, while waiting in queue i quickly book a flight to Cambodia for 29 days later. ok that should get me past immigration, turns out my Thai airways check-in agent asked if i had an onward flight, but just took my word for it and no one ever asked to see it. 

Thai airways is a solid 8/10 carrier as usual, older planes but service is good and the food was better than i remembered. My only real issue was one of my own doing, i dropped the left airpod out of my ear mid-flight and rather than waking the seatmate next to me i decided to search for it when we land. well, when we landed it was nowhere to be found even with the help of several flight attendants. 
So i'm day one into my trip with half a set of headphones, a pocket full of baht and no clue.

I activate my AIS eSIM (900baht for 5G 30 days/50GB), for reference the comparable AIS SIM at the airport booth i spotted was 2000 baht. I already had baht in my wallet from my last trip so i head down to the taxis and onward to Le Meridien.
First order of business, massage.

I did the Surawong lap, down through the Tawan dogleg and past nineteen. Lots of bums on seats and offers but none that really caught my eye. I decided to head back to one of the mixed male/female shops where there was a guy that could meet my needs in low light conditions. 

Note: now before i tell this story, be aware that i know there were multiple junctures where i could have changed the outcome... i know this.. i am as the french would say Le Idiote (i dont know french). 

I approach the massage shop up to the guy of my interest and the mamasam (i assume) intervenes and asks if i want massage, well yes, I say and point at 60 minutes oil massage while looking and smiling toward the guy i like. she says 'follow me', off i go expecting him to tail in behind me, I pay my 600 baht at the register and right after I've paid I look behind me to discover a Shrek lookalike had followed me in... oh bother. 
I am far too polite to reject this poor lad grinning at me from ear to ear after i had just paid right in front of him, ladyboy mamasan had disappeared  shouting something toward the front of the store the second after i paid, i'm standing there shell shocked while Shrek stomps up the stairs. Ok, suck it up... it's just a massage, maybe he won't try anything, at least his hands look strong.. reassuring myself as i sheepishly creak up the stairs.

I shower in the piss smelling washroom, wrap the towel around my waist and walk towards the curtained 'room' with Shrek guarding the stairs so i can't make a run for it (presumably). Ok face first into the massage bed and out comes the oil, enough oil to fill a tanker evading sanctions, but at least the massage was strong. The reach under didn't take long, oh no, i press my pelvis against the bed, he starts rubbing his (thankfully clothed) dick against my arm and hands as i try to tuck my arms closer into my body... the hints just aren't reaching.

The turn... well, it was inevitable at this point. I close my eyes and do everything in my mental power to remain soft to not encourage this any further (the places my mind had to go will remain unsaid), the thought does cross my mind if this has moved into assault territory as my balls are getting fondled for a good 5 minutes, but let's not dwell on it, I knew what i'm getting myself into by not backing out earlier. I am successful against all attempts from him to make me hard so he can offer the extras, clenched my eyes closed and let out a little sigh of relief when he gave up. Time to shower the buckets of oil off me, it doesn't work, the oil is immune to water and soap, i'm a baby penguin after and oil spill.

I return to the room and he's gone, i guess he didn't want to stick around to see if i would tip (i was going to give him something small as a gesture of good will). i go downstairs and put my shoes on, grit my teeth through a smile to the mamasan then go straight to 7/11 to buy a packet of cigarettes.

I need to process this so i headed to the safety of the highly regarded foodland restaurant, on my way a cute waiter tout outside one of the bars grabs at my arm but the oil.. his hand can't get a good grip as i tell him 'not tonight sorry'. What a sight i must have been, half wet hair, covered in oil, cigarette hanging from my mouth, pale and wide eyed like i've just seen a car crash. 
I eat my chicken cashew, shaking my head, exhausted... what a start to my trip, surely it's going to get better from here

[PM to look into extending tourist visas to 90 days]

I was surprised to learn Thailand don't already give the Chinese visa exempt entry for 30 days like the long list of other countries, I thought they had pretty good diplomatic relations and the potential tourism numbers involved would have put that in motion years ago.

I wish they would extend the tourist visa exemption scheme to 90 days, it would save me from a couple of unnecessary visa run and immigration dept days for the trip I'm about to embark on.

[Temporary apartments or hotels]

I have booked 6 weeks at an airbnb for the first part of my next stay, airbnb is more expensive than apartment rentals and there are a few listings that look very scammy, avoid new listings with no reviews and hosts that are trying to sub-lease hostel and hotel rooms.

I was looking on hipflat, fazwaz and other apartment rental websites but most seemed to need a 6-12 month lease. Those sites are good to see what apartments look like in buildings and can help narrow the search.
When I get there in a few weeks I'm going to do some walking around to talk with the rental offices in the buildings i'm interested in and ask if they do month-to-month rentals, but i think that might be easier in Pattaya than Bangkok to get monthly rentals.

[YouTuber doing video of Jomtien complex]

yeah reporting is the best option, enough reports and he will likely get demonitised (he makes no ad revenue). Don't comment or interact with it, because it just boosts his stats and gives him what he wants.

[Plans for Business]

If you have no experience in running a business in hospitality and have no knowledge of local practices and law, well... just buy a barrel and burn your baht because it will be less stress with the same outcome.

Your post history indicates you're pretty new to Thailand and don't have much understanding of the economics of the bar scene, is that right?
it's fun to dream but it sounds like you're wasting your time. You might want to spend some time in the country and at existing venues to learn how things work before even starting to work on a business plan.

[All the meeting apps]

Grindr, Jackd and hornet are more or less the same, but some guys prefer using one over the others.. they would be the top 3

Blued is busy in East Asia, if you want to meet a tourist from China, HK, Taiwan, etc you can probably find them on Blued. I haven't used it in Thailand in a long time, so others will probably have recent experiences.

Instagram, twitter + Onlyfans takes a bit of effort. on instagram if you take the time to start a conversation you can meet guys. twitter is basically the search engine for onlyfans, OF guys have inboxes full of messages from horny guys so you're only really likely to get your wallet drained.

[Taipei Info/Tips?]

I have just come back from my Taiwan trip, it was amazing. I don't really have the time to write a big trip report but here's some info for newbies (like myself).

Grindr was quite easy to find guys on, but I didn't see any profiles offering massage or MB. I had the most luck picking up guys on the same night rather than trying to schedule ahead, 6-9pm there's lots of guys active every night.
I didn't end up needing to try Blued or any other apps.

Taipei Ximending area was full of attractive guys, it's a good area to stay.

Soi13 sauna was very busy and worth going to on a Saturday night, easily 100 guys most aged 20-35, a lot are fairly shy but the dark rooms can be very intense. It was busy 6:30 until about 9:30 then it started to get quieter, i left so i'm not sure if it picks up again after guys have been out clubbing. Foreigners pay NTD800 entry.

https://goo.gl/maps/pVhZfGqMkhNM11cz9

The day I planned to go to Emporor hotspring the plans didn't work out, so I still need to go back to experience that. http://www.emperorspa.com.tw/about.html
https://goo.gl/maps/VYM47sdBspm1e6xXA

I went to Mars sauna in Taichung, Mars was harder to find, mostly because i went in the wrong entrance and tried to use the service elevator instead of the staircase entrance in the next door building. there are stickers on both doors saying mars, but if you find yourself looking at elevators with no staircase to the right, go next door. NTD350 entry, the front desk will need to help you with the ticket machine if you don't read mandarin.

https://goo.gl/maps/sYVDEcouGoGBHF5Q6
Mars had good facilities, hot and cold plunge pools, steam room (wasn't working when i was there), cabins, a dark room, cinema playing chinese movies, chill out area.
I didn't pick the best nights to go Friday (before an event on Saturday) and on the Sunday. On Friday there were 35-40 guys, most in mid20s-30s. The guys at mars were less shy than the guys at Soi13 for me, I met a great guy and ended up going for drinks and back to my hotel with him.
Sunday was rough, maybe 10 guys most >35.

I was in Kaohsiung as well, but i didn't try the sauna there. I found Kaohsiung the most difficult to find guys, I had one catfish dud from Grindr and met one cute guy that said he works at a KTV in Taipei but translate wasn't doing the best with my questions so we didn't communicate much and just had fun. Kaohsiung is worth visiting but I didn't stay long.

Overall the language barrier is manageable, in Taipei it's easier than Taichung and Kaohsiung but that's to be expected.
The saunas don't need any language because people don't really talk except in the cabins or chill out areas, glances and hand touches were the signs of interest. Mars sell colored wrist bands to show your position which i liked, in Soi13 i just put keys on left wrist to show i'm top (idk if that's universal everywhere).

Next time I plan to try the hotsprings and I want to figure out the KTVs because it seems like there are gay KTVs around but it might need more than google translate to find what i'm looking for there.

People are friendly, food is great, the country is beautiful. I'll be back for sure. My next trip will be Bangkok or HK, so i doubt i'll be back for Taipei Pride but maybe next year.

 

 

[Taipei Info/Tips?]

16 hours ago, hojacat said:

When are you planning to go? I think I'm going there around mid-May. if you go before then, please drop a report in here about the saunas and apps in there.

Taiwain in April then HK I'm considering early August, but HK will depend on work and if my friend in HK is at home or away.

Sure, I'll post some notes when I get back from Taiwan and if i get to HK I'll report on there as well.

[Island recommendation]

I went to Koh Lipe recently and loved it, but you and @Londonerare right, it's a journey to get there. BKK > HatYai (1 hour flight), HatYai to Pak Bara Pier 1.5 hours (road), then Pak Bara pier to Pattaya Beach Pier (1.5 hours speedboat). Timing the flights was my biggest mistake, I almost missed check-in on the way back because I didn't consider needing to be there 45 mins before my flight departs. I bought a package for me and my travel companion that had pickup from HatYai in a minivan and included the speedboat ticket, that saved having to get a driver at the airport.

Beautiful island, lots of great food, inexpensive day trips to quiet(er) beaches and islands, amazing crystal clear water all the way from sunset beach to sunrise beach.

If I wanted a hassle free island resort I would probably go to Samui for luxury or Koh Lanta for a more relaxed location

[Taipei Info/Tips?]

On 2/22/2023 at 4:12 PM, hojacat said:

I noticed a drop of users and engagement with Hornet. It used to be even busier than Grindr before Covid and not just in Taiwan, but also in Thailand and other Asian countries. I don't think it's even worth paying the premium version right now.

Didn't try Blued, as that app has so many ads you would need to pay for premium to make really use of it. Was planning to checkout Jack'd after a 5-years break, but with guys from Grindr, the sauna and people I already know in Taipei, I got pretty busy. Glad to see its active. Will give a try when I'm there in May. Wonder if it's the same situation in HK, though I suspect Blued would be #1 in there.

Blued was #1 in HK and Shanghai on my last trip 5 years ago, but it's been so long things could have changed by now. I'm considering a HK trip later this year after Taiwain, so i'll play app roulette to see.

I think Blued was one of the first to introduce in-app translation, i really liked it.

[First day in Bangkok]

2 hours ago, Tartegogo said:

Going from Pattaya to Bangkok is a nightmare. Drivers keep accepting the rides on both bolt and grab and then drive away instead of driving towards me or stay put. 
when I ask if they are coming they ignore me or reply 1000 bahts more than the bolt price. 

 

The agate hotel says they only have taxi service to the airport. 
So you basically have to go to the airport and change taxi there. 

https://www.namstaxiladydrivers.com/services

My preferred option, email a day or two ahead of time with pickup and dropoff. You could probably call or line and ask for anyone available at the time, but i've always pre-booked my trips.

The driver has always been on time, in a decent car and they don't drive like maniacs.

[Taipei Info/Tips?]

2 hours ago, fedssocr said:

I presume you mean Kaohsiung?

I do haha, my brain just decided to mix two cities names together.

Those photos are spectacular @PeterRS

I'm really looking forward to my first experience relaxing in hot springs.

[Taipei Info/Tips?]

Update

My original plan to arrive in the afternoon and spend the evening at Soi13 was unfortunately lost, flight delays pushed my arrival back to within 6 hours of my morning departing flight and I was exhausted by the time I got into the city after 1am.

As you guys mentioned, Taiwan deserves a much longer stay.. So that's exactly what I'm planning to do in the coming months, I'm spending 3 weeks from Taipei to Kaochung and back stopping in major cities in between.

As much as I love Thailand I need a break from that scene, December/January was not the best trip for me. Time to explore something new, thanks again for all of the great info in this thread, it's helping my plans a lot.

 

[Gaybutton board hacked]

If you have access to your DNS records (DNS zone), write down then change or delete the www and gaybuttonthai.com A records.

This will prevent people getting to the compromised host until Moses returns and can be quickly reversed when the host server has been restored.

 

It's up to you, but doing something to prevent people that frequent your board from being infected with malware should be a pretty high priority, waiting a full week could see your domain registrar take action on your domain and hurt the reputation of your site.

[Pattaya Koh Larn island trip report November 2022]

Great report, thanks for sharing.

Samae beach was my favourite spot the last time I went over, but I might need to check out Tien Beach next time.

[The W Hotel Bangkok?]

20 hours ago, nycboy79 said:

New here and tried the search function for any W Bangkok hotel reviews, but couldn’t find any.  Apologies if I missed.

looking for a luxury hotel that is gay friendly, especially to bringing back overnight guests.  I know Le Méridien Bangkok is highly recommend, but I’m in love with the bathtubs in The W.  I LOVE taking a bath with my guest

anyone have any experience with The W and if it’s easy to have guests join at this hotel?

 

thank you and thanks for thirst boards.  They’ve been so valuable in planning my trip in January 

 

I have stayed at the W a few times, I never have problems with guests at any of the Marriott properties.

W is nice, has a really good cocktail lounge, restaurant next to it is great, guest friendly, nice rooms but the standard rooms are smaller than average.

My main problem with W is the location, it's not a major problem but I think there are better options around.

/SO Bangkok has rooms with baths, Le Meridien also has rooms and suites with baths, Crowne Plaza is another good option in the area.