petr55

When entering Israel, all passengers get tested in TLV airport upon arrival and must quarantine until they get their results. That is perfect time for me to start writing.
Intro – 8th trip report (and 8th visit) to my favorite city in the world. 37yo Israeli. Last trip was for the White Party of New Year’s Eve 2020 with my husband. I remember that before we flew to BKK on the end of Dec 2019, reports were starting to come about some virus in China. I couldn’t imagine back then that this virus will make me separate from BKK for such a long time. More than 2 years and 4 Pfizer vaccines later I booked this solo long weekend, to see if even after Covid changed a lot in the world, the BKK magic is still there. And it is still there 😊
Bureaucracy – Once I booked my first night directly (Grand Hyatt Erawan) and got the authorization I submitted all documents online and Thai pass was approved in less than 24 hours. Since this trip was exactly 5 days, I did not need a second PCR. And also, they now dropped the second test anyways. I found the whole procedure friendly and fast.
Flight – One of the unfortunate results of Covid is of course the chaos of booking flights. We used to have 3(!) TLV-BKK direct flights a day. Now we have once a week, and 3 times a week TLV-HKT (Phuket) -BKK. None of the direct options suited my very specific flight schedule requirements so I booked Turkish Airlines with an Istanbul connection (650 USD). This is a 14 hour journey with the main leg being over night which is exactly one of my firmest requirements of a flight to BKK. A couple of days before the flight, when the probability of me actually taking that flight was high, I found that business class fare declined dramatically so I upgraded (Additional 1600 USD). The TLV-IST leg in both directions was a full flight and the IST-BKK flight was half full in both directions. Flights were great, slept great and woke up refreshed. Suvarnabhumi was kind of empty and I was out in no time.
Hotel – Grand Hyatt Erawan (9400 THB test & go package with fast PCR) – Not my preferred location. Hotel lacks character but they did supply the only thing that I really wanted them to – a really fast PCR result. On my way to the hotel, we stopped by Medpark Hospital for a drive thru test – 16:18 was the swab time. At 17:41 the phone rang with the negative results. They did what they promised they would and that was great. They were also very generous with a 4PM checkout time to match my next hotel check in. Breakfast was OK.
After that I went for a stroll in Silom. Soi 4 seemed pleasantly crowded. Some places closed; others opened instead. All and all, I was surprised to see a lively scene, not far from the way it used to be. I enjoyed my walking thru the different streets and venues and waited for 22:30 for the show at Tawan to start. Tawan was a sad place that Thursday night. As some photos here show, it is forth of its original size – and the stage has almost no accessories or decorations. Actually, that night there was not even a show, just 4 guys going up and down the stage for an audience of 3 people. Guys on stage are not my type, some are off season, some are in no season, but as Vinapu said – it only takes one guy. And that guy was there – I think his name was Nut but I’m not sure. A Lean bodybuilder classic type. I didn’t want to leave Silom as I wanted to party later that night so it was coinvent that they offered a room. 2800 THB later (500 off, 300 room, 2K for the guy) and we were at their room which was descent enough for the muscle worship session I wanted. He supplied it to the max and I left there very happy for myself but sad for that establishment. I do think/hope that they will improve as more and more tourists come. After that went to DJ station, which was not full as it used to be but also not empty. Music there is still shit 😊. GOD was closed that night which disappointed me but I knew it would open for the weekend so I called it a night.
Will continue soon.

Although having no personal experience to offer (now stuck in Farangland), I thought it could interest some to know more about this place. This is information I gathered from some webboard and twitter reviews (though you never know whether these reviews are genuine or "suggested" by the shop owner !)
Name : Big Hands Massage
Location : 1390 soi Chan Muang 10 - Din Daeng District - Bangkok (behind Train Night Market Ratchada)
How to get there : MRT subway to Thailand Cultural Center - exit 4 - walk along RS Tower, cross the canal and then go northward through the market ; soi Chan Muang 10 is the first soi you will cross after going out of the market (no sign, better to have a look at Google Maps before as finding one's bearings could be challenging especially at night when the market is in full swing)
Opening hours : 11.00 > 24.00
Updates and information : they have Facebook, Twitter and Line accounts (search "Big Hands Massage") - twitter and line accounts updated almost daily ; many pictures but thai language only
Prices : oil 1,5 hours 550 THB (september 2020) - minimum tip 500 for soft and 800 for hard which is rather low
Reviews summary : the shop opened in September 2020 and is kept very tidy - most rooms don't have in-room shower - 12/15 quite good-looking boys on duty - some boys in the buff from the beginning - most put emphasis on post-massage activities ("soft" or "hard", depending on boy)
All in all seems to be an interesting place worth the trouble finding one's way to check it out.

Amazing..."asking" directly  then getting an answer!  

It is important to note that the concept of coyote dancers at Thai disco/clubs is different than go-go bars in Silom etc. The dancers are there to entertain on stage (and most will allow guests a quick grope for a drink/tip) and circle/mingle around and drink with guests at their tables afterwards. Often they will be offered drinks (and tips) at a table and they will drink, talk and be friendly (socialize) with the guests (and encourage them to drink more). If the chemistry is right and with a generous offer I certainly think some coyote dancers will go with you, but more diplomacy /a more discreet approach will be required. First establish a friendly connection/vibe and make the guy interested in you and then discreetly let him know your intentions and offer. I'm sure some dancers will decline (politely) as many are presumably straight or not up for paid sex, but some may be up for some add. easy money. Give it a try!
One additional note/a word of caution: as Fake and other similar venues are primarily for Thai guests the dancers may have very limited English language skills and there is a high chance that you will find yourself unable to communicate with them (unless you speak/understand thai).

There's the health risk to yourself (+1) - young healthy guys probably not something to worry about, but up to you.  How safe is it to stay in any of our home countries these days?  
The health risk to others - the risk that you (+1) are exposed, get it and are asymptotic or minor ignorable symptoms ("just tired after all that partying"), in good faith go home and uniwttingly expose others back home.  A legit concern.  That's the whole point of the blanket travel restrictions.  As in any communicable disease situation like this, the potential impact on others is surely as important (or more) than on one's self.  But right now Thailand isn't on the bad lists and the number of people with COVID-19 is very low.  [yes - some people say the reported numbers are suspiciously low.  Who really knows?]   My plan is to be in home quarantine when I get back to the states regardless, just to be safe for others.  Impossible to quantify this one?  
The inconvenience risk that Thailand goes on a high risk list in the week that you are here and you (+1) are put on some sort of home quarantine when you go home.  Maybe not that much of an inconvenience at all.  hehehe
Presumably you're checking your respective travel health insurance policies for coverage in case you are stuck here.  
Bangkok isn't empty.  Still lots and lots of people around.  I just saw a friend's vid from DJ last night and it quite looked reasonably busy.  Perhaps a bit more comfortable to dance.   
I would expect lots of your fellow circuit guys to cancel, but surely not all.  So you won't be alone in BKK.  Still, when I looked a couple of days ago tickets were available at the early-bird price, which makes me wonder if the event was cancelled for lack of bookings.  
With Pattaya and Khon Kaen cancelling main Songkran activities, despite the Tourism Minister saying all will be normal-ish,  I think it's 50-50 that Bangkok does the same and cancels the main Songkran water events.  So far nothing about Fake Club having its usual outdoor Songkran party.  Hmmmmm.  Still, I think it's very, very, very hard not to have lots and lots and lots of fun in BKK.  
 

I find the banner at the top showing live models can be a bit embarrassing when all of a sudden a naked derrière in a suggestive pose appears to anyone near you glancing at your screen.

Glad that you enjoyed our fair city.......... you're welcome back any time. 
 
As a side note, the only mild concern I had reading your report was that you even spent a nanosecond being concerned with what anybody else would think about what you paid the guy.  You paid what you voluntarily wanted to pay and that's the only standard you ever need to meet.  Anybody out there who would even think in the "geez, you're ruining it for the rest of us mode" gets zero respect from me.

Thanks for sharing.

This is a good thai gay movie too called "Timeline"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvtrB3r5H6s
 
You need to fast forward to 12min into the clip before the movie starts.