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As the saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack/Mack a dull boy". In Bangkok recently for work, I made sure my evenings were free. Then tacked on a few more days in Pattaya. The first of four trip reports is up at http://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog with one new report a day. Beware -- these are long reads. Sunday evening upload: Bangkok bars Monday evening upload: Bangkok massage Tuesday evening: Pattaya bars Wednesday evening: Pattaya massage.

Last night, I was at Lucky Boys. Called for bill and paid 750 baht for my drink and boy off fee with a 1000 baht note. I was seated with a mamasan who had served me the past 2 nights. Waiter came back and another mamasan also appeared. This particular mamasan would come and sit next to me occasionally (usually when the younger mamasan was away with other customers). He made the usual small talk - “where are you from? How many days you stay?” and throughout the night - “which boy you like?” Absolutely didn’t get my hint that I didn’t want to deal with him. I arranged my off with the younger mamasan. I think the only useful thing the older mamasan did was to clear my ashtray but even then, he didn’t do it himself. He ordered a waiter over to clear it! So there I was waiting for my boy to get changed. Younger mamasan was seated next to me. The change of 250 baht came back in the following denomination: One ten baht coin Two twenty baht notes Two hundred baht notes I gave the twenty baht notes to waiter and mamasan while I kept the hundred baht notes. Mamasan was upset! He gave his twenty baht note to the waiter! And he continued standing there and looking at me, expecting me to tip him one of the hundred baht notes. I didn’t know how to react then. Younger mamasan, with great situational awareness far beyond his age, quickly blurted out, “Your boy is ready. Let me bring you out.” I did not want my night to be ruined so I pushed the incident out of my mind and left the bar to enjoy the night with my boy. By the way, I tipped the younger mamasan 100 baht at the door. This was on top of the 100 baht that I had earlier tipped him for helping me the whole night. Thinking back, in the first place, maybe I should have kept all of the 250 baht change and leave. But on the other hand, perhaps the older waiter felt insulted that he got a tip of the same amount as the waiter. Maybe it is a Thai societal hierarchy thing. My question to fellow forum members - what would you have done and why?

BiggusDikkus’s excellent account of his first experience of Bangkok planted the idea that a thread on ‘First Encounters’ with the City of Angels could be entertaining. Here is mine to kick things off. Before landing the story in Bangkok I need to back up a little as I had a vicarious familiarity with Bangkok long before I first visited. My perfect gentleman of a father (on one occasion, after finding a slug in his salad, he wrapped it in lettuce, doused it in dressing and ate it to avoid any embarrassment to his hostess) spent time in Japan and South East Asia on business in the 1960s/70s. He was very nice and very slightly naughty. As a child I was fascinated by beautifully produced Geisha House books he brought back from Japan, full of oval pictures of perfectly made-up young women. He and my mother were each other’s best friend so whatever he found to amuse himself, it was done with her knowledge and if not blessing then at least understanding. My parents had a broad outlook and so my being gay was a practical issue not a moral one. They had gay friends. The World was tough on homosexuals (the then term-of-use). This was unfortunate but a fact. How could they help? They lead me to believe that sex is enjoyable, even more so if you and your partner have a connection. Nothing wrong with casual sex, but avoid becoming fixated on mere physical sex. Sex is also a mental pleasure, which is why a connection is so important. To balance the enjoyment, there are risks. Life is a bugger. No Free Lunch and No Free Hedonism. Unplanned pregnancy can be a major life problem (although you are probably free of that one) as are diseases. Particularly syphilis (this was pre-AIDS). To clarify the point for a fifteen year old they gave me some quite advanced and very graphically illustrated medical texts. The autopsied syphilitic brain looking like a Swiss cheese was a standout image. To paraphrase my father “Swimming is great fun. Try to only swim in clean water. If you suspect the water may be less than clean, cover up properly and wash thoroughly afterwards, in which effort medicinal alcohol is useful”. So I was launched into the World with few hang-ups about my sexuality, open to and aware of the pleasures of the flesh and totally paranoid about STDs. Even with raging teenage hormones the image of the brain-as-Swiss-cheese could deflate my dick in seconds. Preparing for my first encounter with Bangkok in the pre-internet age my advance research was undertaken at the local gay bookstore. My father recommended his hotel, which is now the Anantara by Ratchadamri BTS but which back then may have been a Peninsula as that was his regular chain, and assured me that the Thais were very charming and open minded people and that I would like them. In Bangkok, ensconced at the now-Anantara, I made a strategic decision that I soon reversed. I was not sure exactly who I would encounter at the clubs and, despite my father’s assurances of open-mindedness, I could not picture myself walking comfortably through that stunning lobby with a pickup. Guided by my gay guide I went to the Tarntawan and reserved a room for recreational purposes. Friday, my first evening free of business obligations and I am excited. I have a map. I have a rec room. Krung Thep, mon amour! However, there is No Free Hedonism. As I am about to going swimming in possibly less-than-clean water, I am possessed by an almost paralyzing fear of Swiss-cheese-brain-syndrome. It takes several sazeracs to reduce this to manageable dimensions before I launch myself into the night. The hotel porter whistles up a cab (this is pre-BTS), I give the cab driver my destination and into the traffic we go. The driver looks at me in the mirror. ‘You like boy?’. Yeesss, I carefully reply. “I take you better bar”. I feel a surge of almost crazy elation. Yes, he is probably going to his friend’s bar where he gets a commission, but these people are relaxed. I decide to go with the flow. I have a map. ‘Ok’. I have no idea where he took me. Starting several sazeracs in and then continuing to drink at bar after bar, I have only a sketchy memory of the evening. I wanted to see it all and my memory is a blur of many bars, many boys and tip jars swallowing many red notes. All fun. It was all huge fun, even if I can’t recall the details. Finally I took a guy off from a bar that had an aquatic show. Tall, elegant, looking wonderful in speedos. Charming. And very understanding of someone with a few too many drinks in him. He took me to a hole in the wall restaurant for carbs and coffee. Possibly I was worth sobering up as, back then, I had thick floppy bond hair and a trim swimmers build. Possibly, understandably, he did not enjoy the fumbling of drunks. We spent several sensuous hours in mutual exploration and pillow talk. He was a student. This was how he financed his studies. How long was I in Bangkok? Not long enough, I thought. Departing in the morning we ran a gauntlet of stares from much older farang breakfasting with last night’s offs. The kind of detached lust-absorbed stares of people trying to picture you naked, people whose conversation is best avoided as it is often distasteful. The people who in my then-not-so-far-back youth had caused me to stop going to gay clubs and switch allegiance to jazz bars. I began to dislike the Tarntawan. In the evening I headed out to reconnect with Elegant-in-Speedos. Pre-Line, pre-iphone, pre-internet there was no easy way to remain in touch. I had to go back to the bar. But which bar? At the time I was not sure it was the aquatic one. Exploration is fun. I began at Tawan, planning to do the rounds in an efficient non-drinking manner until I found the right bar. Leaving Tawan I was accosted by the tout from a small bar across the soi. Many boy, you like! It was a small shabby bar with maybe eight guys who upon my entry mounted the stage and gyrated in a semi-sensual vaguely come-hither torpor. All except one and that one guy worked it with every asset and move he had. He was the most masculine of the group. An intelligent lively face, deep brown, solid muscle on a slender frame and large hands and feet which accurately indicated the potential of his endowment. In bed at the Tarntawan after showering together I am in sexual overdrive. This guy is hot. And then, the third time he removes my exploring hand from between his stunning buns, he holds it against my chest and gives me a polite but firm lesson in reality. He like girl. Have girlfriend. Have men sex as it pay a lot more than construction. While I am customer, he is himself, has boundaries, I need to respect them and him. It had never occurred to me that any guy working gogo would be anything but gay (naivety) or that anything within my vanilla repertoire would be off-limits (arrogance). He sees these thoughts on my face and smiles, pulls close and says ‘Here what I do’. I tell him what I do and then, as two tops, we proceed to make each other feel good. Within his boundaries he is very sexual. Why is more of the World not like this? After showering we leave together, him to his girlfriend and me to the more comfortable accommodations of the now-Anantara. It is around 1am and in the lobby I again encounter the gauntlet of stares from the sexually-fixated. Now I dislike the Tarntawan. Sunday, my final free evening, I reconnect with Elegant-in-Speedos. Looking at him in his street clothes I think I would not at all mind being seen with him at the now-Anantara. So that is where we go. We have cocktails and Thai food from the twenty four hour menu in the lobby. No one stares. In the room there is a bowl of red spiky Thai fruit which I have not been sure how to approach. His eyes light up and he shells one for each of us. They have a sweet and slightly scented taste. Our lips lock in a sweet and scented kiss. I looked for him the next time I visited Bangkok. ‘How long you not here? He graduate, go home’. The beginning of a cycle. A long and enjoyable cycle. Long may it last!

Actually, this is a preliminary notice prior to a report. I leave tomorrow for a 2 weeks in Thailand, I'll stop in Hong Kong on Friday and get to Swampy mid-day Saturday. I'll be in Bangkok for 8 days and then six days in Pattaya, staying in Jomtien. Any forum members who might want to meet up send me a PM. I've been in touch with two members and we have hazy tentative plans about meeting. Today, began with a bit of controlled horror - I woke to a buzzing on my wrist as my watch replayed a text from my bank saying there had been an unauthorized charge. After the call and agreement that I'd not authorized a charge in Cyprus, my card was cancelled with a new one being sent. Pain in the... as this is my principal card for purchases. But there are other cards so I'm substituting. Then I visited the dentist to have repairs made to two teeth. Back at home, a call from my credit union telling me they had a charge from Cyprus! This is the card I use at ATMs when I travel as it has no fees. Ugh...this is not my day and it's only 11am. The credit union is a ten minute walk from where I live and I head there as the notice I'd received was automated, and wanted too too many codes and waiting times on hold to accomplish anything. At the office, the manager said hello and how could he help. I told him, and he helped. In a few minutes, I had a new ATM card and withdrew cash to change at the rail station at BKK. I'm looking forward to a rest from dealing with effects of Cypriots getting my card information and a respite from seeming constant traveling: Mid-April I flew to China, then back to the Bay Area, then on to the UK. From where I returned yesterday to attend two meetings. Tomorrow off to Thailand via HK. I'm looking forward to inspecting and evaluating and enjoying the revitalized entertainment zone(s) and having some massages. Sorry to be missing PaulSF and DivineMadman who have lef to rest up for their next sojourns in Thailand. Not sure if I report from the scene or when I return in June...but I swear to the spirit of Vinapu that I will report. PS: Some good news...United Airlines just called to tell me I'd been upgraded for the flight to Hong Kong.

It was 5:30 a.m. Tokyo time when my alarm went off but it was easy to climb out of bed. With purpose. I was leaving for Bangkok later that day and I still had to pack. It wasn't until 8:30 p.m. that I was able to check into my hotel. That's 10:30 Tokyo time. I was hungry and tired, not to mention sweaty, having had to walk and lug my suitcase for the last kilometer or so. I did not go straight up to my room to shave, shower and get myself ready for a Friday night on Silom. “Or maybe on Patpong,” I thought to myself. “Patpong is supposed to be getting busy with gay bars now that Soi Twilight has turned out the lights.” Before I could take a look around, I needed some calories. So I broke one of my Cardinal rules of traveling in Thailand — I ate dinner in the hotel's restaurant. Side note: I was the only solo diner in the place but I was mostly doing the same thing everyone else in the restaurant was, using my phone to scroll through my social media accounts. Even couples fed their smartphone addictions rather than make conversation. So rather than feel lonely, I was part of the club. I was also feeling my age. I didn't get up to my room, unpacked and showered until after 10. I was exhausted; there would be no Friday night out in Bangkok for me. All I could do was crawl in bed and let memories of my first trip to this megacity unspool in my head. That night I also broke a Cardinal rule. Was it really 23 years earlier? Must've been. Like tonight, it was a Friday, but when I arrived at my hotel much further into the night, I was exploding with energy. I just had to wash up, pull on a pair of designer jeans and a Calvin Klein T-shirt and find my way to the fabled Silom Soi 4, to Telephone, to Rome and so many other bars and clubs I had only read or heard about. Could I find the soi on my own? I probably could have squeezed my guide book, “The Men of Thailand,” into a pocket, but I wasn't going to embarrass myself. I wasn't going to look like a foolish tourist. And besides, how hard could it be? One alley over from Patpong, TMOT told me. And my hotel was a 10-minute walk down Surawong from Patpong. It would be easy. So off I went. I would sate my hunger at a street food stall on Patpong. I was going to get the full Bangkok experience. Then, finally, I began making my way to Soi 4. As I recall now, I was almost at a jog. And maybe my haste was my problem. I ended up making some wrong turns. As everyone knows, there are two Patpongs, but I let this slip my mind. When I finally did turn into Soi 4, well, that's when I broke that Cardinal rule. Only I did not realize it until several long minutes later. ”Are you looking for the gay bars?” someone asked. How did he know? That's exactly what I had been trying to do for, what, 15 minutes? Was I on the wrong street? Again? How many wrong streets could there be? I had initially missed Soi 4 and not realized it until I saw a sign for Soi 2. Surely I didn't double back too far. At least I hadn't got all the way back to Patpong. And who is my interrogator? A gay basher? I don't think I would admit to a stranger back home that I was looking for “the gay bars,” but this is Bangkok, and TMOT, while perhaps failing to give more specific directions to Soi 4, did insist that gays are not harassed in Bangkok, that even taxi drivers wouldn't think twice if I told them to take me to “the gay bars.” So I could tell this guy the truth, whoever he is. ”Yes,” I managed to say. He smiled. He knew the answer. So at least “The Men of Thailand” was right about Thais not being prejudiced against gays. I felt braver. I could safely add to my one-word reply. “Do you know where Telephone is? Is this Soi 4?” ”Follow me,” I remember him saying. “I'll take you there.” So off we went, back out of the alley I was sure was Soi 4. Apparently I had been wrong again. When we got to Silom, we turned right. We walked past the nicknack stalls of the night market. We walked by the first Patpong soi that I had missed earlier in the night. We passed the next Patpong street. Is that really a Christian bookstore on the corner? Odd place for a Christian bookstore. And aren't we going in the wrong direction? Or maybe that was my mistake all along. I was supposed to take a right at the end of Patpong, not a left. Wow, that would have saved me a lot of time. I could already be in Telephone, flirting with a cute local. Or maybe Rome. I really want to go to Rome. I've heard so much about it. The best gay nightclub in Asia, they were calling it. My new best friend then brought me out of my own thoughts. ”Where are you from?” he asked. I told him. “How many times have you been to Thailand?” “When did you arrive?” “How long are you staying?” Hey wait a minute, I thought. How far are we going to walk? One alley over from Patpong, right? And this neighborhood doesn't really look like a nighttime entertainment district anymore. In fact, we seem to be passing a hospital. A Christian hospital. I didn't realize there was such a big Christian influence in Thailand. My inner monologue is often over active. It also has the ability to make the exact same sound as a needle being dragged across a vinyl record when it's about to change topics. “Who is this guy I'm with?” I finally thought. I didn't actually ask that question out loud but I could see a little anxiety in his face as he noted my own. ”Just a little bit more,” he assured me as we turned right onto I don't know what street — a street that did not have nearly as many Friday night revelers on it as the street where I had met ... Who? Who the hell is this guy? And then it hit me. “Oh, no!” my inner monologue screamed. “I broke the TMOT Cardinal rule — ‘DON'T GO WITH TOUTS!’” ”Obviously we're not going to Soi 4,” I managed to say with a snarl. “Where are we going?” ”A gay bar,” the tout answered. “Trust me. You'll like it.” He was practiced. He recognized that I was about to turn back, so he turned into a desperate conversationalist, keeping me stupidly talking to him as we continued turning corners and walking down poorly lit streets until we were there ... Under a sign that read, Galaxy Boys. We walked up to the second floor and into a very dark, very uncrowded bar that had at least a dozen go-go dancers. All young, maybe late teens, early 20s. All with perfectly lean but beautifully defined bodies. All with smooth, bronze skin. All with long, lithe legs. All with supple calf muscles that took shape much higher toward the knee than I had ever seen before. All dressed in nothing but bikini bottoms. And those smiles! The walls appeared to be black, and there was little light, only dim beams that lit the boys on the stage. The ones in the shadows were pulling out their little soldiers and rubbing them until they stood at attention. The achievement of a full erection would bring a broad smile and a glance my way. The tout was right, I kind of did like this place. In fact, I was entranced. There's something to say for sleazy bars. Especially when no one sees you walking into one. I ordered a beer and sat back while the tout walked toward the entrance where he engaged the manager, at least I think she was the manager, in an animated conversation. More of the dancers smiled my way. I smiled back, unsure what else to do. You can probably guess the next several events. The manager and tout would return. The manager would insist one of the boys come down and sit with me. He put his hand on my thigh, and one of my hands on his thigh. His skin was warm, smooth, a little damp. I found myself in the same conversation I had been in minutes earlier with the tout. The go-go dancer took my hand and placed it further up his thigh, so that my pinky was rubbing his cock. He giggled when my head turned, betraying my startlement. ”I like you,” he said without pronouncing the k. I stared into his eyes, and as I searched for the proper response — Was there one? — he began to kiss me. It wasn't a peck, but a full, lips locked, open-mouthed, gentle jaw movement kiss that my tongue remembers well to this day. ”I like you, too,” I said, pronouncing the k and figuring I might as well state the obvious. “I'm also hard as a rock.” I don't think he understood that but the tout and manager seemed to know that the time to pounce was right and they were back at my sofa with a 2,200-baht bill. ”For one beer?” I sneered. ”No for boy off too. And must pay boy another 2,000 baht at hotel.” Apparently it had already been decided that I was taking the best kiss I had ever had back to my hotel. But I balked. I was on my way to Soi 4, remember. I never made it to my intended destination that night. I left Galaxy Boys and returned to my hotel as it had been ordained for me. ... I'm not sure what will come next, a report on Night II of my most recent trip to Bangkok, or me reminiscing about that first trip 23 years ago.

Anyone heading to Goodboys in Soi Twilight tonight?

This is my 5th trip to Thailand and my first trip with my husband and child. All my previous trips were solo. I will try to focus on the more interesting gay parts of my trip, a fact that will probably make this trip report shorter than previous ones, considering the specific nature of this trip. A brief intro, 35 yo Israeli married + 1. Last trip was 16 months ago; I came for White Party 2018. At that time I knew it would take me some time to come again alone to Thailand and I set my mind on returning for Songkran 2019. As time passed by, I started realizing that I will not be able to pull those dates off so I set my mind on the week after which was also Jewish Passover. But, my partner was less enthusiastic on letting me travel solo during the holiday since he had tons of work and was not able to take full care of our daughter this time. I understood him and the situation but I still missed my BKK. So instead I decided to try and make it a family trip. I realized that traveling with our daughter while my husband had tons of work that he will have to do during our vacation is not my best option. So I convinced his parents and siblings to join us. It was quite easy, who doesn't want to have his vacation in Thailand? So this was a big family trip that I planned and arranged to all of us. I also knew that the maximum time that we should all spend together is a week. More than that will be too much family time for all the people involved J So for this big trip, I scheduled a weekend in BKK for all of us, then mid-week we spent at a resort in Krabi and then we split so my husband, daughter and I had another weekend in BKK without the rest. It took me lots of planning, booking, coordinating for the whole group. But it was worth it. We flew the weekend after Songkran. This year, a smaller Israeli airline, Arkia opened the 2nd direct TLV-BKK route. It was a shitty flight with a 25yo plane. But my daughter and I slept most of it so I didn't care much. Having a 2yo child in BKK has its advantages. We didn't need to queue almost anywhere. Once Thai airport staff saw we were with a stroller we were guided to go to fast track which was nice. Since this trip I was not alone, I tried to leave little room for mistakes so I asked Lebua to send us a van with a proper seat for my daughter. 2500 THB. Arrived at the Tower Club @ Lebua state at 6 PM Friday evening. Hotel is nice but I think for its cost, 235 USD a night, there are many better options than that one. But, my sister in-law really wanted to stay in the hotel of the film "The Hangover 2" so I let her have it her way. It's a very nice hotel with large rooms and high balconies observing BKK and free lounge. Excellent service and professional staff. We had dinner at Siam Discovery's Outback. Again, not my first choice, but I usually comprise about things I don't care that much. After that we put our daughter to sleep and the pre-booked hotel nanny arrived (300THB per hour). Now It's dads time for our night out in BKK. It's my husband's first night in BKK and I was keen on showing him some of BKK’s jewels. Arrived at Jupiter just in time for the show. We both enjoyed the eye candy show and it was a full house. Offing was not an option considering the fact that our daughter was with us in our suite. Some of the stars there are really impressive and for sure would be an good offing option for us, although it seems to me they are better at being looked at than actually having fun with, but I maybe wrong here. From there off to Moonlight. It was my first time there, and after reading some threads about it, I has higher expectations. House was almost empty. Some of the guys were hot but it was by far less entertaining then Jupiter. It could have been that it was the 2nd show of that night and maybe it's always like that in later hours. But even with taking into consideration the late hour of the second show, something about their show was just not sexy enough. Maybe coming in time for first show is a better option, but we did not have time to check that out. After that, we went to DJ station. A solid stable BKK institution. House was full and we enjoyed the crowd. I never liked too much the music there… too much pop for my ear. My husband liked it more than me. Anyways, we both enjoyed our time there since the combo of guys, music and alcohol can’t be beaten J We were not actually looking for sex since we were both very tired and also things were a little logistically complicated with having a stranger as a nanny in our room so we preferred calling it a night. The morning after my husband had to work, so I took all the rest to Siam Paragon – they did shopping and I took my daughter to Sea World. Sea World is just one of many nice things that I would have never think on even easting my time in BKK if I was without my daughter. Having said that, it is the most impressive aquarium I have seen compared to those in the States and Europe. I took her back just in time for her nap, I had a vision in my mind that while she is napping and my husband is working in our room, it is my time to shine. Arrived at the Prince at about 3PM. BKK was very rough on traffic our entire stay so whenever I went alone I took a motor taxi. I entered and chose the most muscular ripped guy I saw and we went together to the room. After showering I waited about 3 minutes. Then, the mamasan guy knocked on the room and told me that I had to choose another guy since he couldn’t work now. I found it weird, but decided that I don’t care that much and went outside to choose another guy. On my way out back to choosing, I saw the guy that I choose coming back to my room as if everything is as usual, then the manager stopped him and they argued loudly in Thai. This thing seemed very unprofessional but again – I didn’t care that much. The manager said he is sorry and that the guy I chose is bad service etc… I told him OK and went to choose me another guy. The mamasan guy in Prince is generally unhelpful by saying all the guys are great there and excellent service so I again choose by intuition. I choose another muscle guy. Massage is as I usually get in prince, very sexual, lots of oil involved, muscles flexing and genitals being rubbed and touched until we both climax. Tipped the guy 1500 THB, and left very happily to my room and even had a one hour nap before our daughter wakes up and we continue our evening together with daddy being much happier after his massage haha.

I arrived last Friday evening from Australia via Malaysia airlines, 7pm. I was dreading the airport and freeway congestion but all good. Through immigration, collected my luggage and into my pre booked car within 30 minutes. A record. Then the roads were empty. Into the Crowne plaza in Silom 35 mins later and into my room by 8:15. WTF ! So some time for a quick walk around to survey the new venues post the demise of Soi T. I’ve previously posted my love of Soi T and especially Maxis. But the Soi was more than that, it’s was self contained. Bars, gogo shows, massage and boys. Nothing better than my evening ritual of sitting a Maxis each evening watching the coming and going at bkk massage, fresh boys etc and downing a few Long Island ice teas. I digress. I headed to Patpong 2 to survey the set up. So ok there the new placed, dream boys Paridiso etc and screw and fresh. But there is no atmosphere. No bar to sit and watch. Well there are bars of course but nothing appealing. Anyway I sat at one of the bars next to screw boys and downed a few beers. Then back to my room about midnight for some sleep. Should mention that it’s fucking HOT. Never known such heat, even in the evening so that is slowing me down a bit during the day. So to Saturday night. I started the evening in the hotel club bar. Free drinks from 5 to 8. Bonus. Then off to Soi 4 which I’ve not explored before, only a visit to Jupiter last year. I was in search of a bar to just sit for a while as I like to do. It was early ~ 8:30 and the Soi was a bit quiet. First stop was banana bar. I was the only customer, with 4 waiters busy on their phones when I sat down. Drink ordered, but no atmosphere here. Waiters too engrossed in their phones to even get passing customers attention. Only positive was watching the arriving boys for the upstairs venue, I recall fresh boys venue now ? Anyway I then moved on to Telephone bar. It’s was starting to get a little busier and I got good seat to survey the Soi. Waiters were attentive and friendly. Stayed about a hour and will go back tonight. Next into Taiwan. 9:30 ish and only a few customers. Drinks 500 bt. Outrageous. A few chunky boys on stage but nothing outstanding to speak of. Other guys sitting round the place on their phones. Didn’t stay for the show, just a bit sad for a Saturday night. But on exiting the place a guy I’ve seen before from one of the massage places adjacent to Taiwan grabbed me. The is very handsome and soon lifted his T-shirt to show me his muscular stomach. He then grabbed my hand and pushed it down his jeans. Nice. If only I was younger, fitter and not so drunk it would hav3 been magic, but I gave him a few hundred bt and went back to my hotel alone. But he made this old dude happy for a minute or two. Off to check out Fresh boys in Soi 4 tonight.

From Bangkok Post (16 Apr.) The following video depicting a tour of the National Aviation Museum at Don Mueang airport was posted on The Nation website. https://www.bangkokpost.com/vdo/travel/743520/royal-thai-air-force-museum-in-don-mueang-district-bangkok-thailand Link to the National Aviation Museum: http://www.museumthailand.com/en/museum/National-Aviation-Museum-of-The-Royal-Thai-AirForce Address And Contact Number 171 Phaholyothin Road Si Kan Khet Don Mueang Bangkok 10210 Telephone : 02-534 1853, 02-534 1764 Fax : 02-534 1853 Website : http://museum.rtaf.mi.th Operating hours Tuesday - Sunday from 8.00 - 16.00 hrs. (Except Monday and Public holidays) Admission fee Free of charge Getting There Bus no. 34 , 39 , 114 , 356 Air-conditioned Bus no. 3, 21, 22, 24, 25, 34,39, 114, 356

https://t.co/zQkogWL1AE

I'm super excited to be a newbie in BKK, arriving on the 3rd May evening and staying at Le Meridien till the 13th. Who's in town and interested in meeting up for a drink and/or show me the ropes? Virgin-MB here lol

As a Chinese forum member, This forum has been really helpful and informative for me. And there's one thing I'm really curious about if anyone have experienced while in Thailand. Since in Chinese culture, some people have been somewhat racist to our own kind lol. Most of last gen would worship a westerner for no reason, and so some of the Asian countries. But last time when I was in bangkok. Every gogobar I went, the mamasans and the boys (gay ones) have been somewhat focusing on me a lot. I don't know if that's because my young age or because of they are used to other chinese tourist who would tip a lot. I personally didn't understand why. And the scene which made me wanna post this thread is that. I was chatting with a mamasan in a bar, and I pointed to a boy on stage and told the mamasan I would love to chat with that boy. then before the mamasan called that boy over. Another table of some westerner foreigners called the boy over and started to chat with the boy I wanted. I told the mamasan that it was fine and I will wait til their table finishes their talk. But the mamasan WAS NOT HAVING IT. He waited like 10 seconds and went to that table and told the boy to rush up and come over to my table. I was so embarrassed because it was kind of rude taking someone out while they were having a talk. And as I expected, that whole table of people were NOT happy. They looked like they would come over and choke me to death if it was legal lol. It was stressful and funny at the same time. And the first thought came over my mind was that this would never happen in China, The waiters would not give a dam about local and would go serve the westerners. So I'm really curious if any other Thai places have given attitude to any forum members and serving somewhat better to other chinese(or other ethnicity) groups.

FYI - Best way to recover from the Banana Bar goodbye party might be a special event brunch at Spasso (the restaurant/club downstairs at the Grans Hyatt Erawan). With a drag show hosted by Pangina Heels, star of Stranger Bar, Maggie Choo's, Drag Race Thailand, etc., etc. (Drag-haters of course feel no obligation to go.). DrinkGurl

After we left Moonlight we decided to go to Screwboys since they open late night. We entered the bar, initially shocked by cigarette smoking ambience and on second look, the place was packed with 30+boys all shapes and sizes, very very thin almost starving looking boys included.I couldn’t see the back of the bar clearly but the bar seemed full of customers. I found ex Jupiter boy smiling at me, he moved to Moonlight last November but now he is at Screwboys. We sat at near stage as the good seats were already filled with customers. All boys were wearing white and blue striped underwear and the place looked like an old fashioned sleazy gogo bar from old times. The difference of boys attitude was striking, boys looking at you smiling, obviously eager for an off, my friend commented it’s a quite refreshing as he got so used to Jupiter/Moonlight boys. Unfortunately, mamasans, customers and boys are all smoking cigarettes like there’s no tomorrow adding the place is very compact and stuffy, I decided I could not stay any longer since I wasn’t wearing gas mask. Mamasan said the show starts 1:00 am. The drink was 300 baht.

Bangkok is regarded as one of the most LGBT+ friendly and advanced cities in Asia and as a result the curator James Tong is collaborating with River City Bangkok to host BEYOND SKIN ahead of its world tour debuting in New York City in June to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the gay civil rights movement, Stonewall. Norm Yip, an internationally acclaimed photographer, has long been an avid pioneer in the development of fine art Asian male photography. He established ‘The Asian Male Project’ which, through his lens, presents artistic images and thought-provoking messages. Ten percent of the purchase price from each photograph sold during the exhibition will be donated to APCOM Foundation, Thailand. BEYOND SKIN is a thought-provoking insight into the Asian male form and lifestyle. Express your support from April 10 until May 31 at RCB Photographer’s Gallery, 2nd floor River City Bangkok. Admission Free.

From Khaosod English (6 Feb.) Papers Please! BTS Cash Card Users Must Disclose Personal Info BANGKOK — Starting in nine days, commuters who pay their skytrain fares with top-up cards must give up their ID card numbers, email addresses and phone numbers to the system’s operator. Citing a clause in 20-year-old anti-money legislation, the BTS said its so-called Rabbit Cards could be used for illicit financial activities and therefore must be registered. The explanation didn’t fly on social media, where many suspected ulterior motives. “Starting this Feb. 15, when topping up cash or trips at BTS ticket offices and the Rabbit service center at BTS Siam station, staff will ask for your ID card for registration and verification,” the operator announced online earlier this week. The statement said phone numbers and email address must also be provided. Foreigners must use their passports for registration. After Feb. 15, topping up without registration will not be possible. The BTS said the Rabbit Cards, which can also be used for purchases at a number of shops and restaurants, could be used for money laundering. But netizens questioned how that could be feasible as the cards are capped at 4,000 baht. Other systems are also citing the law to make similar demands, but they seem to be unrestricted debit cards that can be used to purchase anything. Users of TrueMoney Wallet, an online cash platform provided by telecom giant True, must also register their personal information by Feb. 28. One transparency activist noted it was strange that the BTS was pushing for mass registration as the interim parliament is considering an online privacy bill that could be enacted any time soon. “This is a pessimistic interpretation, but my life experience taught me not to be optimistic about these kind of issues,” Arthit Suriyawongkul wrote online. “The anti-money laundering act has existed for a long time, but they have never forced any registration prior to this.” The privacy bill – Thailand’s first such law – will ban any use or transaction of personal information without users’ consent, but will also allow information collected prior to the bill’s enactment to be used “according to the original purposes.” One comment on Blognone, a tech news site, warned that the personal information of BTS users is at risk under the new policy. “If someday there’s a data breach of all names and surnames tied to all travel records, I wish you all good luck,” user Lew wrote. “If [Rabbit Cards] can be used for money laundering, the BTS should issue regular top-up cards that can only be used for the BTS, which do not require any verification, just like food court cash cards,” another user Jonathan_Job wrote. The exposure of private data is not uncommon in Thailand, where activists say there is little protection for users. In 2017, the police inadvertabtly made information of 790,000 residents visited by police patrols public on their website. The information included names, full addresses, phone numbers and what they told visiting police officers. A year later, True Corp. exposed scans of its customers national ID cards, passports and driver’s licenses. The firm later blamed the unsecured storage on “hacks.” The BTS Skytrain is owned by City Hall which grants a management concession to the Bangkok Mass Transit System Co. Ltd.. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/bangkok/2019/02/06/papers-please-bts-cash-card-users-must-disclose-personal-info/

Currently looking at possibilities for travel this year and options are either mid July or Dec/Jan. Wondering what Bangkok/Pattaya (haven’t decided which) are like in July (this is low season?) and in Dec around Xmas and New Years. My only experience so far has been in mid Jan. Thanks in advance :)

In case it's not on your radar screen, there's a free Muay Thai fight lineup on the last Wednesday of every month at MBK. With the closure of the old stadium on Rama IV, it's the easiest way to catch a match if you're in the CBD. 5:00-8:00 pm. Here's a link to the Feb 27 event. Fight Night

For those in Bangkok - It's the end of the season for Bangkok Symphony In The Park. The concerts are free and the last concert (this season) will be Sunday at 5:00. They're usually pleasant. For those who haven't been this year, reminder that the location has changed to Chula Centenary Park. Location The park itself is worth a short visit. The winners for the Symphony's voice talent search will also perform. The program for Sunday is: William Tell Overture Jurassic Park Bohemian Rhapsody I Know Where I’ve Been from Hairspray - สิรวิชญ์ In My Own from Cinderella - พรรณพฤกษา Gonna Fly Now from Rocky A New Life from Jekyll & Hide - ไรวินทร์ I’d do Anything from Oliver - นัทธมน ระบำสุโขทัย (Arr. ผศ.ดร. นรอรรถ) แขกปัตตานี (Arr. ผศ.ดร. นรอรรถ) Don’t Cry for Me Argentina from Avita - พิมพ์วรา Stars from Les Miserables - ฉันทัช On My Ownfrom Les Miserables - อรไพลิน As If We Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard - รินลดา Can’t Buy Me Love Climb Every Mountain - ร้องหมู่ Radetzky March

I just came across a report that suggests the National Economic and Social Development Board has told AOT to drop the current plans for Terminal 2 and go back to the original master plan. If true, then certainly not much relief for Swampy for many more years to come. [The original master plan calls for a large expansion terminal on the other side of the runways - sort of a mirror image of the current one.] The third runway and a currently planned expansion of the eastern end of the current terminal are still in the works. Oh well.

From Khaosod English (13 Feb.) BANGKOK — CentralWorld. Central Chidlom. Gaysorn Village. In case it lacked shopping opportunities, Ratchadamri Road is adding another mall tomorrow. After several months of delay, The Market Bangkok has set its official opening for Thursday, which just happens to be Valentine’s Day. Owned by The Platinum Group, the six-story, mixed-use project sits on 21 rai and cost 9 billion baht to build. It includes two Marriott-owned hotels – Fairfield and Moxy Hotel Bangkok Ratchaprasong. The Market Bangkok shopping mall features more than 1,200 shops selling food, drinks, clothing and more. It sells itself as “Bangkok New Dream.” The Market Bangkok is located on Ratchadamri Road next to Big C Ratchadamri. It can be reached via skywalk from BTS Chit Lom. Continues at http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2019/02/13/ratchaprasongs-newest-mall-the-market-opens-on-v-day/

FYI There will be a book sale at the Siam Society February 16 10:00-17:00. Vendors will be offering books, Thai crafts and "curios." The Siam Society is just a short walk from BTS Asoke/MRT Sukhumwit. After the sale you can always get a nice foot massage at Banana or be a bit more wild at Urban Male or Nine Spa. Siam Society Book Fair Facebook

I’m currently sitting at ‘Swampy’ having just spent 4 nights in Bangkok. This was my first time in Thailand and I thought that there might be some interest in a fresh account? There will likely be details missing that some might be looking for, this is deliberate. Feel free to ask anything you’d like to know though and I’ll decide if it’s something I’m happy to share, but as a youngish person I have some concerns about the longevity of comments made on the internet. Day 1 I arrived in the late afternoon after a very long flight. Thailand was new territory for me so I wasn’t quite sure how anything worked but having spent a lot of time reading these forums I felt at least a little prepared. Immigration was simple though I did have a momentary panic when I saw the signs about visas and saw so many filling out forms. It turned out not to be relevant so I made my way though and joined the hordes looking for a taxi, or at least I thought that was what they were doing. A group of teenage boys were coming through arrivals, however, and they were they seemed to be causing a lot of excitement. A boy band maybe? There was a pretty decent crowd but fortunately they all chased after the apparently famous lads which cleared some space. I should mention at the point that the handle on my bag had broken mid flight so I was left dragging it by the top which would likely have been humorous for any onlookers had they not all been so singularly focused on the aforementioned boy band. I found the taxi line and after maybe 15min was on my way. The driver used the meter and didn’t seem to be a scoundrel which was a huge relief. I had the address for the Raya on my phone in Thai and that made things really simple. I was tired and jet lagged but as I pulled up in front of the Raya I could see the lights of Twilight and I quickly decided that sleep was for the weak. It was here that I committed my first faux pas as I had taken out cash at the airport but hadn’t realized I’d need such small change. Fortunately the doorman stepped out, paid the taxi for me and said I could sort the fare with reception. Excellent service and greatly appreciated. My room at The Raya was huge by hotel standards and quite nicely furnished, though the size left it feeling a little bare. My only issue with the room was that the shower/tub combo is badly designed and tends to flood the bathroom when used. A short while later I braved o and made my way into the soi. I was expecting the hot male and xboys guys and managed to brush them off as I made my leisurely way down, taking in the sights. Unfortunately this was a very clear signal to literally everyone that I was a first timer, faux pas number two. I kept brushing off the grabbers until the classic boys guy pointed out ‘there aren’t any more, that’s the end.’ He was correct so I turned back and headed into Dreamboys which was on my list of places I wanted to see. I was ushered in quickly and given a seat with a promise that the show would start soon. There were roughly two dozen patrons and around 20 guys parading around on stage. A broad range of shapes and sizes though I was left wondering why on earth some of them had been given a job. If you like twinks, twunks or muscular men then you’d have some eye candy to drool over. The show started as promised and my excitement turned to disappointment as the guys doing the dancing were amongst the oldest of the group and not the best looking either. A reluctance to be in the shows was a theme I would notice amongst the younger guys across the bars. The show was fine overall but very heavy on drag and frankly that didn’t appeal to me at all. The sudden revealing of large cocks from under dresses had all the subtlety of a footballer on talent night and subsequent acts involving the audience felt a tad cringey. But that may just be my own shyness, the guy they dragged from the audience seemed to be having a great time after all, despite treatment that bordered on molestation. The mamasan or captain at Dreamboys was probably the best of the bars I visited. He was subtle, polite and knew when to piss off and leave me alone, which was most of the time. At no time did I feel under pressure by him to make purchases though he made sure I knew how to ask if I wanted anything. That ended up being a lot longer than I’d expected. If there’s interest, I’ll continue when I have more time. Day 2 features Moonlight and a chance to see some famous/infamous names in the flesh.

Hey guys. Back in Bangkok and seeing if anyone wants to meet up and go out to the bars together. You can hit me up on LINE: MarkWallaceBKK

I just downloaded the Grab app to ease travel in the Big Mango. This morning I wanted to travel from my condo in Ploenchit to Shangri-la for some nice dim sum. The app quoted 293 baht. Instead I went down to the street and literally grabbed a metered taxi. Even with a little detour down Silom it only came to 79 baht.