hank75

Isaan is regular Thai! Just the fresh air, loamy soil and bootleg whisky grows them slightly different there

I have encountered this too with my guy. I think they are trying to keep the beer cold as they usually drink outdoors in the heat. Regardless I think it’s good for all that alcohol consumption to be diluted and they’re getting some hydration. I am not a fast drinker so it made my beer repulsive.

You had me worried there for a hot minute. I thought that the family had tried to scam you, requested money, or done something seriously offensive like try to sell you 50 light bobs. Perhaps you were caught off guard but this feels normal in a large family situation, being asked about your intentions when inhibitions have been lowered sufficiently by familiarity and alcohol lol. I actually found this question positive rather than the opposite.

We used to call this a granny flat. What is the Cambodian equivalent for this I wonder? House of Falang?

The taxi system is now efficient and uncomplicated unless a massive queue has built up. As @captainmick has said, you can insist on metered fare and the driver will ask for extra to take the highway, for which a receipt is provided. Or he may ask you for a flat amount (usually 500) the profit to him is so little that there is no harm to agree. I have not been “scammed” for many years of taking airport taxis. Only once the driver tried to move off without switching on the meter while asking for a higher flat rate. I told him firmly either he charged the meter rate, or I would exit the taxi, walk back to the taxi rank and he would have to leave the airport terminal with no passenger and join the long queue all over again. Worked like a charm.

That’s the old Shangri La, the new one is 500 AUD on a reasonable day and I can assure you it’s not worth it in the slightest.

Seconded and at 6500 it is good value. You will not get the same standards in Manila, a similar class hotel is either very aged or very expensive (the only one I can think of which I would find realistically comparable is the Shangri La BGC, and that is double the price. And I prefer Meridian)

More at risk from the motorcycles than the breakfasts, to my way of looking at it

Depending on what exactly you use these quite often get dispensed without a prescription in normal Thai pharmacies so you can easily stock up if you travel there occasionally.

Probably should check out Joyzone and GASS too if you don’t necessarily want to off someone

From my ex guy (and others) I received the sense that adult life expectancy was relatively short in Cambodia. Parents in their early 50s were described as “very old” and on their last legs. Several boys I know lost a parent at a young age. Excessive drinking among other factors is a likely contributor! Added on to a hard farming life….malnutrition… poor healthcare. My ex guy’s mother was so riddled with gout and ailments she could be barely walk.

@jimmie50 I’m sure you didn’t envision yourself starting your retirement adventure in a crowded village house, using outhouse toilets and enduring drunken karaoke! Hang in there. Your reports are bringing back memories of spending Songkran with my ex guy in Siem Reap where I was invited to partake in the “festivities” with his friends and relatives. Will recap that here when I am less exhausted, it’s been a dinger of a week. All I can say is you have far more fortitude than I did; a day was more than too much for me. On a serious note, be careful whatever you consume is fully cooked. I didn’t like the sound of collecting rainwater in vats to cook and wash with. Sounds like a case food poisoning or bacterial infection around the corner.

Looks a bit grim. Agreed, short time room or nothing beyond 2 days

I stand corrected but my logic remains similar, the fate of Soi 4 lies with its owners and should not be confused with the complaints of the failed investor

Why is it surprising that an Australian speaks English?

There are two different situations being discussed. One is the fate of the entire Soi 4 which is up to the owners ie the Patpongpanich family. The other is the “saga” of Circus and Pride which opened to much fanfare a few years ago, had poorly executed business models and management structure, and were clearly failing businesses by the end. I find this hard to believe. As the main financier, not even voting or veto rights, or the ability to recoup investment when business was sold? That’s what happens when you buy a bar for your bar boy boyfriend(s)

Priest?

Beware it might get diluted with still, or gasp…tap….

I stand corrected. There is a real risk of white lies…black lies….and all other colors of the rainbow

I can only speak from experience. I have encountered fake drinks at three places but two were more evident. Both times the giveaway was that you cannot get drunk the same way one usually does from a few whiskies. There is a very mild buzz but it evaporates fast. Should you try keep drinking to chase the buzz you end up feeling unpleasant. Something just feels off with the alcohol high it produces. On each occasion I had boys with me who are good drinkers and experienced enough to know something was not quite right, they too shared my suspicions. I also felt that the taste was different but can’t reliably claim accuracy on that point. One venue was a well known club with hundreds of customers so likely they weren’t stupid enough to sell methanol as a single case would have been enough to cause a media circus and shut them down. The other well…I had been there a few times but once I was certain I was sold a fake bottle, I never set foot in there again.

I can only vouch for Jupiter. In fact the karaoke place @jason1975 referred to (Sky, forgot what it’s called now) surprisingly also sells real whisky. The place I encountered fake drinks was a well known gay dance club. agree on liking beer….and cheaper too.

Many of the boys enjoy drinking and are tremendous fun. As for safety, the only danger I have encountered is waking up the next morning finding out I’ve spent twice what I intended by not wisely ordering a bottle in Jupiter at the start of the evening and instead doing stupid things like ordering it from hotel room service menu. Or from the Lao boy at Moonlight who turned out to be a champion vomitter after imbibing too much. Jokes aside I have always felt remarkably safe in Bangkok and especially in Silom. I have never encountered any theft or dishonestly from barboys. When we go to a club, the guy will always follow me to the toilet to ensure I don’t encounter any misadventure. It’s a story for another time but there used to be a code of conduct that they weren’t prostitutes but entertainers who “take care”. I would never do the same in the Philippines.

Yes especially since they keep the unfinished bottle for you. If I plan to visit at least twice on my trip , on the first visit I pay for the bottle and mixers and no boy drinks. If my friend is with me, two covers are waived. And the second visit, just pay cover and mixers, again no boy drinks. Works out to reasonable value in the end.

They’re supposed to break the seal in front of you though it’s not foolproof. I’ve come across fake bottles before. Once I’ve verified a bar or club sells fake drinks I never go there again. Whisky is the most commonly faked alcohol. It tastes similar to the original (hard to discern since it’s been mixed) and gives a similar initial buzz but you can’t easily get drunk. I once opened a bottle with two boys and none of us could work up any form of sustained drunken merriment even though a bottle is plenty for three. A real downer since we were in a club. Unless you drink copious amounts and then it’s not a nice “drunk” high, as you’d get off a proper whisky, but a disgusting, rough feeling. The next day hangover is also wretched. I wouldn’t recommend it. There are two ways to avoid it, only go to verified establishments or order a bottle of non-whisky such as vodka as these are less commonly faked. Jupiter only sells authentic whisky. I have opened multiple bottles over the years with no issues. I can only speak for Johnnie Walker. They probably value their Thai and Chinese VIPs too much to lose them to fake alcohol.

This isn’t supposed to happen, the bottle should mean you don’t get double billed.