Patanawet

What would you consider a proper alternative? Most offer for sale a reusable bag for as little as 1 Baht or free boxes or paper bags.

I live in central Bangkok and have always used tap water to make tea (boiling water) and for cooking. Never any problems.

NO. Poppers are NOT legal in Thailand. But like most illegal things you can find (or dangerous copies) for sale everywhere. BEWARE of any chemicals for sale on street markets.

I heard that Kika would close in the New Year.

This is now possible in Welcome Bar in soi 4.

The Banana on 4 (strangely, their illuminated sign outside hasn't been on for months) premises has, on the floor above ground, Banana Room Club a small gogo bar, formerly fresh Boys on soi Twilight. Owned by the host bar ' Welcome' also on soi 4.

Does Utopia still exist? Their office on Rama4 was cleared out when I last visited my hairdresser (up2) next door. His shop was also vacant.

As a ''.Silomester', I would recommend starting in soi 4 for and early drink and food and get a chance to chat to others who can tell you about the commercial scene. It's a long time since I was in soi2 (DJ Station etc.). Do they still check IDs and passports and stop anyone under 20?

You make it sound as if a small cock is a bad thing --- I disagree.

Thanks so much Pong. It does indeed sound a long trawl from one end to the other trying every hairdressers ón route. I'll just have to rely on the grapevine.

Thanks Anddy. My apologies - a brain freeze --- I should have written Burmese.

To answer my own question a bit, I'm told that Luk hasn't been answering his mobile for a while. He is now working in a salon (don't know if his own or another's) on Rama 2 wherever that is. His cute Cambodian co-worker started this week at Cutey Beauty. Price for a haircut in Cutey Beauty is 400 Baht, 100 more than at up2. The owner told me that he gives people with Balcony Club cards 10% discounts but didn't me (maybe because I didn't proffer my card).

All of the above advice is accurate if somewhat variable. Before you go exploring, why not go for an early drink and maybe meal in Silom Soi 4 - the gay soi - and soak up some of the gay Bangkok atmosphere and meet someone to ask their experiences.Then go exploring about 9pm. Balcony pub, Silom soi 4 opens at 5.30pm but is quiet till about 8 then very busy by 10 for their free show at 10:45 with Coyote boys and cabaret. Telephone pub, Connection Bar and Welcome Bar same soi has similar opening times and prices.

Does anyone know what has happened to Luk at up2 hair? His salon closed at the start of this month, shortly after the closure of Purple Dragon next door. I have used Luck and earlier his brother Gun since Amnuay closed his Summer Rain Salon some years ago. I'd love to know where Luk is working now.

I've said it before and probably will again "ask the boy if he'd prefer a tip or a watered down drink" (for which he will get twenty Baht commission). He may be struggling to pay his rent or food and a diluted whisky and coke won't help with that.

Thanks Anddy, that has just worked for me too.

How much whiskey do you think is in the scotch and coke you buy them? Personally, I would ask them do you prefer a drink or a tip? They probably get twenty baht from the drink that you buy them.

In Soi 4, staff in non gogo bars have to be eighteen or over but cannot come into soi to drink until twenty.

There was to be a stopover in Kuwait or some such place.

Thanks Peter, it seemed too good to be true. I'll keep an eye on it. The cheapest Bangkok to London flights that I see at the moment are about 20K.

Can anyone beat the just announced Jazeera Airways service soon to start? On narrow bodied, single aisle, short haul aircraft with one stop at Dubai (?) --- 11,300 Baht return.

Interesting to see that they are not doing this for the convenience of passengers but because they have to have a huge warehouse to (spellcheck tried to change this to 'whorehouse' ) to store the 100 million of forms each year which hardly anyone looks at.

I do an annual check up at Bangkok Christian during their New Year promotion saving two to three thousand Baht. First I consult my sort of G.P. there to see if he recommends any additional blood tests etc.

Yes but it's sign is a big 'W' (for Welcome). It is the ex Balcony second terrace. It houses a tattoo parlour (favoured by Aussie showbiz entrepreneur Molly Meldrum) and has many hosts (Cambodian and Thai). Oh, I see what you mean Kev. No the bar directly opposite Jupiter is an offshoot of Jupiter and is, I think, used as a karaoke but have seldom seen customers in there.

500 Baht at Welcome and many other bars.