macaroni21

This bar needs to be checked out.  Its Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sake-Pub-สาเก-ผับ/341416052585697  where its address is stated as 60/1 Soi Damnoen Klang Tai. This seems to be a tiny road 250m south of Khaosan Road and  350m east of Sanam Luang. I reckon it is in the vicinity of Google Coordinates 13.756346380428468, 100.49797434403985.
There are some interesting pictures on its Facebook page around April 8th or 9th. Here's a Songkran poster from April 12th:
 
And on Youtube, a video from 2019:
Almost certainly a bar for Thais rather than foreigners.
 

This bar needs to be checked out.  Its Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sake-Pub-สาเก-ผับ/341416052585697  where its address is stated as 60/1 Soi Damnoen Klang Tai. This seems to be a tiny road 250m south of Khaosan Road and  350m east of Sanam Luang. I reckon it is in the vicinity of Google Coordinates 13.756346380428468, 100.49797434403985.
There are some interesting pictures on its Facebook page around April 8th or 9th. Here's a Songkran poster from April 12th:
 
And on Youtube, a video from 2019:
Almost certainly a bar for Thais rather than foreigners.
 

Ah, that is helpful information if anyone is going to Chengdu or Chongqing.
Such is the Youtube algorithm that I find another video by the same pai pai guy, this time about a gay bar in Beijing called Destination. 
The thing that comes across is how different gay culture can be in different countries.

This bar needs to be checked out.  Its Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sake-Pub-สาเก-ผับ/341416052585697  where its address is stated as 60/1 Soi Damnoen Klang Tai. This seems to be a tiny road 250m south of Khaosan Road and  350m east of Sanam Luang. I reckon it is in the vicinity of Google Coordinates 13.756346380428468, 100.49797434403985.
There are some interesting pictures on its Facebook page around April 8th or 9th. Here's a Songkran poster from April 12th:
 
And on Youtube, a video from 2019:
Almost certainly a bar for Thais rather than foreigners.
 

Ah, that is helpful information if anyone is going to Chengdu or Chongqing.
Such is the Youtube algorithm that I find another video by the same pai pai guy, this time about a gay bar in Beijing called Destination. 
The thing that comes across is how different gay culture can be in different countries.

What happens when Bangkok sinks into the sea?
"... Greenpeace says almost all of Bangkok will be vulnerable to floods in the scenario of an extreme sea level rise by 2030. Under this extreme projection about 96% of the city will be below the mean sea level."
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2499786/bangkok-is-still-sinking-and-fast-
Of course, Greenpeace tends to focus on the extreme scenario, but nobody (outside of the lunatic fringe) disputes the fact that Bangkok is subsiding and sea levels are rising.

I had a similarly perplexing experience with OneSpa (now Sky Massage). I think whoever handles the Line account is barely able to read English and clearly unable to say more than "Yes" or "OK". I also have a suspicion that whoever it is does not even know how to use Google Translate.
I don't recall much difficulty with Kman Spa (but maybe the staffer has since been replaced?). The two that impressed me were River 365 and Nine Spa. A lot has to do with whether the digital receptionist can speak any English at all. One needs to be able to at least read English to check if Google Translate has done the job properly.

What happens when Bangkok sinks into the sea?
"... Greenpeace says almost all of Bangkok will be vulnerable to floods in the scenario of an extreme sea level rise by 2030. Under this extreme projection about 96% of the city will be below the mean sea level."
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2499786/bangkok-is-still-sinking-and-fast-
Of course, Greenpeace tends to focus on the extreme scenario, but nobody (outside of the lunatic fringe) disputes the fact that Bangkok is subsiding and sea levels are rising.

I had a similarly perplexing experience with OneSpa (now Sky Massage). I think whoever handles the Line account is barely able to read English and clearly unable to say more than "Yes" or "OK". I also have a suspicion that whoever it is does not even know how to use Google Translate.
I don't recall much difficulty with Kman Spa (but maybe the staffer has since been replaced?). The two that impressed me were River 365 and Nine Spa. A lot has to do with whether the digital receptionist can speak any English at all. One needs to be able to at least read English to check if Google Translate has done the job properly.

What happens when Bangkok sinks into the sea?
"... Greenpeace says almost all of Bangkok will be vulnerable to floods in the scenario of an extreme sea level rise by 2030. Under this extreme projection about 96% of the city will be below the mean sea level."
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2499786/bangkok-is-still-sinking-and-fast-
Of course, Greenpeace tends to focus on the extreme scenario, but nobody (outside of the lunatic fringe) disputes the fact that Bangkok is subsiding and sea levels are rising.

I had a similarly perplexing experience with OneSpa (now Sky Massage). I think whoever handles the Line account is barely able to read English and clearly unable to say more than "Yes" or "OK". I also have a suspicion that whoever it is does not even know how to use Google Translate.
I don't recall much difficulty with Kman Spa (but maybe the staffer has since been replaced?). The two that impressed me were River 365 and Nine Spa. A lot has to do with whether the digital receptionist can speak any English at all. One needs to be able to at least read English to check if Google Translate has done the job properly.

The LINE account has changed its name from OneSpa to The Sky Massage.

Fortunately, gang members weren't carrying weapons other than sharp teeth.
 

Fortunately, gang members weren't carrying weapons other than sharp teeth.
 

Fortunately, gang members weren't carrying weapons other than sharp teeth.
 

Fortunately, gang members weren't carrying weapons other than sharp teeth.
 

The LINE account has changed its name from OneSpa to The Sky Massage.

I have no idea what this event is, and there's probably nothing gay about it. But I thought I'd share it here for the visual pleasure of those members who like some meat on their men. The video description mentions Tondo, which is generally a slum area in Manila. Some parts of Tondo are only grubby, other parts are positively dangerous.
 

I have no idea what this event is, and there's probably nothing gay about it. But I thought I'd share it here for the visual pleasure of those members who like some meat on their men. The video description mentions Tondo, which is generally a slum area in Manila. Some parts of Tondo are only grubby, other parts are positively dangerous.
 

It was at such a stand where I caught the worst food poisoning in years. In hindsight, the skewer must have been left on the stand too long in the warm Thai air. Ever since then, I avoid such food stands though I am conscious (at a rational level) that the same can happen in the kitchens of the nicest restaurants.

So, the next time we use OneSpa's rooms, we may meet a woman in the corridor? Or we may hear a woman moaning away in the next room? 
Hmmm. I think I will pass

"The signboard had been removed"... Now THAT'S worrying.
The only way to reconcile that with assurances about reopening next month would be if it reopens under a new name and new owner.

I think I can help with a few of your questions.
3.  I have a revew of OneSpa in my blog (https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2024/03/13/shagging-in-the-shabby/)
4.  No need to check IDs in massage parlours. If you see anyone uncomfortably young (which I have never encountered), just ask to change the masseur.
6.  More often than not, they deserve no more than the minimum. When I think they're better than average, I may add 10 - 20%. When I am over the moon (which is rare), I may add 30%. I suspect many posters on this forum are shocked that I am giving farangs a bad name by not throwing money around (isn't the superior sahib supposed to do that when meeting the destitute natives?)

@newtobangkok123 in Thailand's massage parlours, whether it's a place primarily for legit massages or one primarily for erotic massages, the client makes two payments. The first is to the shop. The amount will be based on the their price list depending on the service you choose. You know that already. Some shops require you to pay before the session begins, other shops are happy to take payment (for the shop) after the session.
The second payment is directly from you to the service provider. It is always made AFTER the session. Your chief question is how to know how much.
First of all, not all massage places publish minimum tips. Some do, some don't. Legit massage places almost never publish minimum tips. Erotic massage places mostly do nowadays, or if they do not publish them publicly, the receptionist will whisper to you as you pay the shop's fee. Or, there will be something stated as a footnote on the menu card. Just be alert and pay attention. The rule of thumb is that any place with a stated minimum, however stated - whether publicly published, whispered or footnoted - you can assume to be an erotic massage place where the service provider expects that you would want a happy ending, or at least to get hard.
So, to your question: Once I know the minimum tip, does this tip include the happy ending?  the answer is Yes. Also, even if you decline the offer of a happy ending during the session, the minimum applies. That's simple enough
However, regular visitors to massage parlours do not always pay just the minimum. The "how much" gets trickier. If it's a handjob, something like the minimum, plus a bit more (20%?) if you're orgasmically over the moon, will be fine. But if it was mediocre, just pay the minimum. More often than not, there is no discussion about handjobs; the service provider proceeds towards it, and you have to stop him if you do not want the session to go in that direction.
If you're into plugging holes, you will probably be having a brief discussion in the room regarding who does what to whose hole, and in the course of that discussion, the service provider may mention a figure perhaps 25-50% higher than the previously stated minimum. Naturally, if you agree, that's the new minimum for your session. (If he quotes a new figure that is 75 - 100% above the pre-session minimum, I am likely to turn it down, as such a high mark-up probably indicates an unwillingness to go that route.) Whatever you've agreed, you can tip another 20-30% more above that new minimum if you're intoxicated with delight from his services (but they don't expect that). If for some reason, there is no discussion about any new minimum, then if he bottoms, you can still use the above percentages as a guide, i.e. anything from 25 - 50% above the minimum that was stated pre-session. If he tops. I think the pre-session minimum is still the reference level (but this is not an area I am familiar with).
If it's a legit massage, my practice is to think in terms of maximum tip and then discount from there. If it was an excellent legit massage, I would apply the maximum, which would be an amount for the service provider that is the same quantum as what the shop charged for the session. However, if it was legit, but substandard, then I start discounting from the maximum. Example: I book a legit massage for 700 baht. If the guy delivers a very good massage, he gets 700 too. If not so good, then 600, or 500 and so on.
What happens if, in what looks like a legit place, the service provider also delivers a handjob in the privacy of the room? If there was a discussion in the room, then all's clear. If no discussion, then I tend to tip some kind of industry average for handjob, which, in Bangkok (since you asked about Bangkok), may be in the 1000 - 1200 range.
As with all conversations about appropriate tips, this post is going to get wild reactions from other members of the board. Some will say my ranges are too high and I am spoiling the market. More likely, others will pick up a megaphone and decry what a cheapskate I am. Without knowing who I am or which country I come from, they will say that (a) I come from a rich country, (b) I am perforce rich, and (c) I am a disgrace to humanity for failing to throw money around like Mansa Musa on his pilgrimage to Mecca.
All I can say is that my rules of thumb have worked for the hundreds of massages I have had over decades, and no service provider has said - not to my face at least - I tip too little. I simply don't believe in bragging about my wealth (if any) by showing off. I was raised by parents who taught me that showing off is very crass.

@newtobangkok123 in Thailand's massage parlours, whether it's a place primarily for legit massages or one primarily for erotic massages, the client makes two payments. The first is to the shop. The amount will be based on the their price list depending on the service you choose. You know that already. Some shops require you to pay before the session begins, other shops are happy to take payment (for the shop) after the session.
The second payment is directly from you to the service provider. It is always made AFTER the session. Your chief question is how to know how much.
First of all, not all massage places publish minimum tips. Some do, some don't. Legit massage places almost never publish minimum tips. Erotic massage places mostly do nowadays, or if they do not publish them publicly, the receptionist will whisper to you as you pay the shop's fee. Or, there will be something stated as a footnote on the menu card. Just be alert and pay attention. The rule of thumb is that any place with a stated minimum, however stated - whether publicly published, whispered or footnoted - you can assume to be an erotic massage place where the service provider expects that you would want a happy ending, or at least to get hard.
So, to your question: Once I know the minimum tip, does this tip include the happy ending?  the answer is Yes. Also, even if you decline the offer of a happy ending during the session, the minimum applies. That's simple enough
However, regular visitors to massage parlours do not always pay just the minimum. The "how much" gets trickier. If it's a handjob, something like the minimum, plus a bit more (20%?) if you're orgasmically over the moon, will be fine. But if it was mediocre, just pay the minimum. More often than not, there is no discussion about handjobs; the service provider proceeds towards it, and you have to stop him if you do not want the session to go in that direction.
If you're into plugging holes, you will probably be having a brief discussion in the room regarding who does what to whose hole, and in the course of that discussion, the service provider may mention a figure perhaps 25-50% higher than the previously stated minimum. Naturally, if you agree, that's the new minimum for your session. (If he quotes a new figure that is 75 - 100% above the pre-session minimum, I am likely to turn it down, as such a high mark-up probably indicates an unwillingness to go that route.) Whatever you've agreed, you can tip another 20-30% more above that new minimum if you're intoxicated with delight from his services (but they don't expect that). If for some reason, there is no discussion about any new minimum, then if he bottoms, you can still use the above percentages as a guide, i.e. anything from 25 - 50% above the minimum that was stated pre-session. If he tops. I think the pre-session minimum is still the reference level (but this is not an area I am familiar with).
If it's a legit massage, my practice is to think in terms of maximum tip and then discount from there. If it was an excellent legit massage, I would apply the maximum, which would be an amount for the service provider that is the same quantum as what the shop charged for the session. However, if it was legit, but substandard, then I start discounting from the maximum. Example: I book a legit massage for 700 baht. If the guy delivers a very good massage, he gets 700 too. If not so good, then 600, or 500 and so on.
What happens if, in what looks like a legit place, the service provider also delivers a handjob in the privacy of the room? If there was a discussion in the room, then all's clear. If no discussion, then I tend to tip some kind of industry average for handjob, which, in Bangkok (since you asked about Bangkok), may be in the 1000 - 1200 range.
As with all conversations about appropriate tips, this post is going to get wild reactions from other members of the board. Some will say my ranges are too high and I am spoiling the market. More likely, others will pick up a megaphone and decry what a cheapskate I am. Without knowing who I am or which country I come from, they will say that (a) I come from a rich country, (b) I am perforce rich, and (c) I am a disgrace to humanity for failing to throw money around like Mansa Musa on his pilgrimage to Mecca.
All I can say is that my rules of thumb have worked for the hundreds of massages I have had over decades, and no service provider has said - not to my face at least - I tip too little. I simply don't believe in bragging about my wealth (if any) by showing off. I was raised by parents who taught me that showing off is very crass.