Londoner

And worth every penny....though, some may say, not a penny more!

F & C was credited with saving the working class during the Depression , particularly in the north. Of course, there was a fishing industry then... As an aside, do other posters remember that we used to wrap our chips in newspaper back in the fifties? Some claimed that the print actually enhanced the taste! Here's poem by the "Mersey sound" poet , Roger McGough, from the Beatles era. Sometimes I feel Like a priest In a fish and chip queue Quietly thinking As the vinegar runs through How nice it would be To buy supper for two.

No one who never tasted British school dinners of the 1950s is qualified to discuss the awfulness of our cuisine!

Th refurbishment is very successful, the enlarged premises attractive with a high ceiling (so important here) and six ceiling fans. Good quality furnishings with the tables far enough apart to allow privacy. Menu and prices the same. And that means the chicken and cashew nuts should not be missed. Obviously! Open yesterday, but from next week, the Tuesday closures will be back.

Yes. I was given the good news on Sunday evening. Not good news, however, for Sandbank, which appeared to gather-up the refugees from Dicks. Including us! A decent place, by the way, even if its Thai menu is a little limited. Updated review of the new Dicks to follow.

Crowds follow crowds....an upward spiral creates its own momentum in terms of popularity, as does a downward one. I've noted the same phenomenon in restaurants.

Correct. And as far as the change to Boyztown is concerned, this was also when the BoysBoysBoys bar became BoyzBoyzBoyz. Not unconnected to lurid tabloid accounts of goings-on in Sunee. The Thais do indeed refer to it as "Boy Town"..... they cannot pronounce an "s" at the end of a word, can they? A Thai language specialist can correct me if I'm wrong. By the way, I am pretty sure I remember some signs erected at that time referring specifically to the absence of underage guys in Boyztown. i can't remember exactly but i think it also mentioned drugs being banned.

I second omega's comment about CM's distinctive vibe. More targeted towards locals than tourists. More relaxed. More casual....although I'm not sure what I mean by that. I have a memory of Adam's Apple in the late 90s when the premises was packed....an undeniable fire hazard back then! Most of the audience were CMU students or other youngish guys. And no less attractive than the performers. I'd explored Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya but CM was different, pleasantly so. However, I can also understand floridabob's post. The gay scene was spread-out over the city; it wasn't the place for bar-crawling. i also recall the late opening hours. I found the early evenings difficult to fill.

The sooner the better. I've only got three weeks here this trip. And I like the fish cakes, too.

Maybe, but Dick's and I go back a long way. Twenty plus years.The BKK Dick's was a favourite for years, replaced in our affections by the JC one when we changed our location. As Oscar Wilde nearly said, to lose one gay restaurant is unfortunate but to lose two sounds like carelessness. And so I hope Kokopelli3 is right,.

Twenty plus hours travelling, looking forward to my chicken and cashew nuts at Dick's. And it's closed. Refurbishment or forever?

I suspect paracetamol will also be found in the medications I mentioned. Checking ingredients is always important. I once bought travel sickness tablets in a Pattaya pharmacy only to find when I checked back at my hotel against my existing regular medication that they were possibly harmful. In terms of prevention, a travel specialist doctor advised the use of tea-tree oil for the journey. A little in each nostril- not an unpleasant smell in my view- may help. I used it regularly both ways.

My commiserations. This was frequently an issue for me and particularly galling if suffered on the outward leg. On the positive side, my partner introduced me to some popular local medications which helped. "TiffY"? "XZY"?....these are approximations from memory. Speak to your local pharmacist but check carefully if you are already on any other medications.

With so many decent places available in the area that welcome guests, I'd not risk the embarrassment of being told "no". Nor having to sneak someone in. And remember, it would be an embarrassment for your guest, too. The first night in Thailand is always special for me, too....chicken and cashew nuts and squid salad at Balcony! That's a tradition dating back to 1997.

In 1995, there were two designated gay massage places, as I recall. The one I tried was in North Pattaya and was called "Nobody Massage" if memory serves. One of the ways that Pattaya improved over the years was by providing opportunities for afternoon sanuk. I used to hate waiting until 2100 for the go go bars to open.

Michael Burchall writes about his first visit to Thailand in 1985. At least one bar, Gentleman's Club was operating then but Boyztown itself wasn't. Jim Lumsden and his partners were its architects. And it grew quickly.

I have honestly, scouts' honour, never heard a sound in my room in Tarntawan and have stayed in both the Silom and Suwawong-facing rooms. Fifty visits. At least.

Not directly relevant, but I have two books which provide some background to the Pattaya gay scene of the past; Michael Burchall's "Boyztown", fascinating stories of the early days of our favourite area, and Dennis Dessnap's "What's sex got to do with it?" The first was privately-published, as far as I can see, while the other names The Syden Press as its publisher. You may be lucky and find second-hand copies. Regarding Youtube, there are clips of road trips through the city on a split-screen, one from circa 1980, the other from about 2020.

On my first visit to Thailand, I used Lonely Planet as my non-gay guide book. i recall the description of BKK's Dusit as a "great hotel in a lousy location." "Lousy"? Silom/Rama 4? It transpired when the next edition appeared that "lousy" was a printing error (perhaps a malicious one) and the correct word was "busy." I think we can all agree on that. I wonder if Dusit sued? Thai hoteliers are quick with recourse to lawyers, as I recall. And perhaps a proof -reader lost his/her job!

There have been discussions elsewhere about an alleged "decline" of the JC. Some bars seem to have closed since last year, but the number of places operating, as well as new places opening suggest that this is not the case. Indeed, if you compare this map with ones from a decade ago of Boyztown and Sunee, it looks as if there are more gay venues available now than there were then. Particularly welcome are massage joints providing services in the afternoons. With good restaurants, both Thai and European as well as popular hotels, the lack of go go bars shouldn't discourage anyone from staying here.

I love walking....but on Thai pavements? no thanks. However, my 0630 walk on Jomtien beach in the morning cool, when the monks are doing their rounds and the workers are getting their businesses ready, is one of the many joys of my times there.

Nearly two hundred assassinated while reporting, and families killed too. Remember Shireen Abu Alkeh in Jenin. Even so, the pen is mightier than the sword.

This sounds outlandish, but I once had a drink in a short-lived bar called Four Seasons in Boyztown. And I didn't off anyone. Twelve, yes twelve, years later, I was in Chiang Mai when I was approached by a stranger who said he recognised me from his time as mamasan at Four Seasons.

Nor mine. But I'd be amazed if there are many hotels in tourist area of 3* or "better" that don't have a dozen or so English Language channels. BBC, Sky, the French/ English one, Al Jazeera/English (the only news to trust these days!) and sometimes CNN. Even Fox, heaven help us, if you want homophobia and racism in your diet. Plus movie channels with subtitles at least.

Tomtravel's comment certainly accords with my experience. P's life as a farmer and mine as a retired man whose interests in London are cultural and political have plenty enough in common to make our three annual meetings more than successful. I would not wish him to lose his farm , not to mention his contacts with family, his four dogs and his Buddhist life-style; nor would I welcome living in such an isolated environment. A third of the year together works fine for us.