emiel1981

First of all, thank you for your honest post and sharing your story. It's always interesting and nice to hear the follow-up to a story, even though it's obviously not as rosy as we all hoped for you. But as you yourself said: if we were realistic, we would all have assumed that sooner or later the request for financial support would come... And I can completely understand that because that request for help initially seemed to materialize, you might have had some hope that things would be different with him than in most cases... It's good that you realize you shouldn't keep transferring money. Because then you'll likely continue to receive a never-ending stream of requests for money. Keep your wits about you and don't let your emotions get the better of you and tempt you to make another payment. Woody is a really nice guy, so I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest of your journey. I look forward to your future updates.

Good to see @macaroni21 is blogging again about Thailand/Bangkok. Also liked his updates in this post: https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2025/11/03/just-six-months-and-so-many-changes/

Agreed. As long as the various venues can find a new location, it's fine. And hopefully, it's a new location where many gay bars are together and not scattered across the area. Most of the (show/boy) bars that used to be on Soi Twilight have found a new spot in Patpong. But even though they're still together there, the atmosphere is unfortunately nowhere near as good as the old Soi Twilight location. Hopefully, there's a soi in Silom/Patpong where gay venues can gather together and have a good atmosphere. There was a rumor that several gay bars/clubs would open where Moonlight is. I'm curious.

If you are still in Pattaya and don't mind having to take Bolt or Grab to try out another massage shop: Bliss Pattaya might be nice. The facilities look good, clean en modern. The boys in their line account are hot. But unfortunately I didn't read anybody from the forum going there yet. All info about location and contact details in this post:

So it will be a big hit or miss when it comes to if you are really looking for things like kissing, getting BJ or even fuck.

So we will have to see of the festival will be hold on later date or eventually will be cancelled at all.

I'm doing some research on various massage shops to decide which one to visit when I'm back in Bangkok in a few weeks. Because I like the newer, more luxurious shops, I'm interested in both KLOVER and History of Massage. And of course, both shops have some very hot, attractive guys on their websites! https://klovermassages.com/en https://historyofmassages.com/en/services The websites do look very similar, by the way. Does anyone know if the shops are linked? I haven't bothered to check if the same guys are listed at both shops. History of Massage is easier to reach (direct skytrain) from Silom than KLOVER, where a taxi is necessary. This review on YouTube is very clear: extra services are available at KLOVER, but only a handjob or body-to-body. No sex. That does match some of the reviews I've read on this forum about both KLOVER and History of Massage. Although it seems @msclwrshp had more luck with KLOVER... See: So... I'm actually wondering what the differences are between the two shops, or are they essentially the same in terms of quality and what you can expect? And: what can you actually expect there? It doesn't look like these are shops where you can easily inquire about Top/Bottom, Gay/Male, for example. The quality of the masseurs (hotties!) makes me consider a visit, but the lack of a "guarantee" of full-service extras or at least a blowjob makes me hesitate. Any views on this?

Sounds like a very good experience. I'm researching which massage shops to visit for my upcoming trip to Thailand. Several forum members recommended Prestige. They also mentioned that, while extra services are often available, the shops themselves don't promote them. This makes it difficult to be sure in advance that you'll choose a bottom who is willing to provide full service. Would you @nandos mind sharing who you had the massage with? For more discretion, you can, of course, send me a private message.

And an update about the Fireworks Festival in Pattaya:

Apparently they decided, after first cancelling it, to let it go ahead anyway:

I don;t see either Blue or Guy on the staff pictures of Jey Spa...

If you post names, I can't help myself to google them. Found a, euhm, let's say very interesting and entertaining X-account of Mr. Gabbies.... I have something to scroll through this Sunday afternoon... LOL

OMG. So, day 1 and day 2 are covered, what's on the agenda for the rest of the days? Haha.

Last year, you also gave me some great tips when you took me to Moonlight and Screwboy/Goodboy (what's that name these days again?). Of course, I was ashamed I'd never been to either place before, even though I'd been to Bangkok so many times. And they were fantastic places. So I know from experience that your tips are really valuable.

I agree. My next stay in the Agate is already booked for in a couple of weeks time. Sometimes I enjoy getting the attention of the massage boys and wander past the shops. Other times, when I'm not in the mood, I take the passway directly from the hotel to the main road.

So relatable! In Pattaya, I often stay at the Agate Hotel. And if you log in to Grindr, Hornet, or another app, you quickly get several guys from the massage shops on the street chatting. If you give them even the slightest hint that you might be interested, they'll keep stalking you. "I just saw you walking past on the way to your hotel, should I stop by?" Eventually, I only "dared" to walk straight to the main road through the narrow passageway of the Agate Hotel, avoiding the massage shops so they wouldn't see me again or call out to me on the street...

Arena Massage has been recommended several times by forum members. Now that my visit to Thailand is approaching, I'm looking which massage shops I want to visit. Unfortunately, I'm only finding very old information about Arena on social media. I can't find a recent profile or online account to check which guys work there, for example. Does anyone have more information?

Wow. That really sounds hot. Checked out their Line and did see many hot guys available today... So maybe I should really explore beyond Silom. I haven't really done that yet, because I always thought, why travel further when you can find massage shops closer to the hotel in Silom? In another post (see below) I was writing about it earlier today: Maybe should give it a try...

Seesing some reports on social media, for example: https://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish/posts/pfbid0dy1f4ehdR51jxNLXoaH9DFEnKMcZdE16gN4roeSGbsRNHWGAKZsHLGZCbRJxgKTCl Saying: What I've mainly seen so far on news updates is this: Entertainment venues remain open as usual (but sometimes in modified form regarding loud music and shows), and all tourist attractions continue to operate normally. Most events will still go ahead, though some may cancel certain elements such as fireworks or concerts over the next month. For example, the Light and Sound Show has been canceled for Loy Krathong 2025 in Sukhothai. And the TAT has announced the postponement of the Vijit Chao Phraya Fireworks event in Bangkok. It seems the rules are less strict than when King Bhumibol passed away? Perhaps because he's not a reigning monarch? In any case, I'm curious what this will mean for the bars, clubs, and shows in Silom and Pattaya. If anyone has more information on this, or if there is any information now, I'd love to hear it.

A friend of mine who's currently on vacation in Pattaya told me that he was eating dinner on a restaurant terrace tonight, beer included. And that nothing in Jomtien Complex seemed different so far. I wonder if that will be the case later tonight, in terms of shows.

One thing doesn't necessarily preclude the other, does it? I respect how people in Thailand are coping with the death of the king's mother. But on the other hand, as a tourist in Thailand, I'd also like to know what to expect. What can I expect, and is it better to postpone a visit to Thailand if I'm supposed to be there next week, for example? It'll take a bit longer for me; my planned trip to Thailand falls partly during the 30-day mourning period and partly afterward.

First of all, my compliments on your detailed daily trip report. It was so much fun to read! You write that you follow most of the massage shops you've visited on Facebook/X or that you've visited their websites to check their staff. Could you post a list with links @jimmie50 to their sites, profiles ans possibly also LINE-accounts? I'm very curious about those places! Would be highly appreciated. Is this the Prestige massage you are talking about? https://prestigemassageofficial.com/ I love it when the massage therapist takes a bit of initiative and builds tension during the massage by actually rubbing his crotch against your hands and moving his hands higher and higher on your thighs. I've experienced a "hard transition" from normal massage to "fun," and that was much less exciting than when the erotic buildup is there from the beginning. Another example of how a massage should ideally proceed, in my opinion: erotic tension from the start. Thanks for this comprehensive insight into S'Sense Massage. This shop was actually high on my list after reading some reviews and visiting their website. Their therapist, Singha (https://ssensemassage.com/therapist/), really appealed to me based on the photos. But after what you wrote about the limited options for "extra services," I think I'll pass. Unfortunately. As sexy as Singha is, I'd love to have a "full service" option. You've already had a few very good and erotic massage experiences, and then sometimes it can be disappointing, like in your case with Phetboy in the Saphan Khwai area. This is precisely why, in all the years I've been coming to Bangkok, I've never been to a massage shop that's a bit further out of the Silom area. You make the effort to travel there, to find the shop. And if you're disappointed, it's not nice. On the other hand, it could easily be your best massage experience. You never know until you try it. But with so many shops to try in Silom itself, I really need some convincing to venture further afield. What was your reason for going there instead of trying another shop in Silom that was closer to your hotel? Often it's a specific masseur who really appeals to someone. Was that the case for you as well? Besides Phetboy, I read that you also had a somewhat disappointing experience with Phoenix in the Saphan Khwai area. It seems like your experiences, which required a longer trip, are worse than those in the Silom area itself. This confirms my point that I might be better off browsing around Silom instead of looking further afield. I'd rather have a potential disappointment closer to home than one you made the effort (or travel) for. Haha! That's what Thailand does to you! And then you probably understand why most of us keep coming back. I think I can safely say that most of us on this forum have reached a certain age where we might not go to bars and clubs as often at home anymore and aren't quite as marketable to younger men in our own countries. But when you come to Thailand... You get attention, and you can "do things" with attractive guys for a reasonable price. It's great to hear that your massage at Paradise led to several encounters with a nice man named "Sam." I think you'd say Paradise was the best massage shop for you during your trip so far. Am I right? Paradise is also high on my list to try (I haven't been there before). I've read several positive things about Paradise on this forum. I'm especially impressed that the facilities are good, better than the average massage shop. See also the post below about it: I searched but couldn't find a site or account where Paradise shows the massage boys you can choose from. Does anyone have a link/line account? I don't know if this is a popular opinion here on the forum, but my first reaction is: RED FLAG! Of course, there are also examples of true love between Thai boys and (much) older Western men. But in what I've seen over the past few years, it's often dramatic. And not just because the Thai boys enter into the "relationship" solely for financial support. I would say: take it very slowly, and don't be too quick to resort to financial transactions and help. Have you read about the most common "excuses" for asking for money? There are always relatives who have to pay an expensive hospital bill, or a sick buffalo with its family in the Thai countryside that needs money. And of course, they ask their Western "boyfriend" for that money. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I've seen it go wrong too often. I think you've only met this guy once or twice, right? And then he immediately asks you to be his boyfriend? Again: Red flag for me.

What I understand from (news) reports is that the Thai people loved the king's mother. Although overshadowed by her late husband and son, Sirikit was beloved and influential in her own right. Her portrait was displayed in homes, offices, and public spaces across Thailand, and her August 12th birthday is celebrated as Mother's Day. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/25/thailands-queen-mother-sirikit-dies-at-93-after-more-than-a-decade-out-of-the-public-eye It's wonderful to see how Thailand and its people are coping with her passing. With so much respect. In my country, normal life would largely continue, with the exception of the day of the funeral itself. But in Thailand, people are much more mindful of a royal death. That being said, I wonder what exactly this will mean for tourists going to Thailand in the next weeks. Certain measures have been announced. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/10/25/thailand-mourns-queen-sirikit-the-queen-mother-funeral-plans-begin/ "The prime minister urged citizens to wear black clothing for at least 90 days or, if not possible, to avoid bright or flashy colors. Meanwhile, entertainment venues and service establishments have been asked to suspend or scale down entertainment activities for 30 days as a mark of respect during the initial mourning period." Does this really mean that bars and clubs (go-go shows) will be closed for the next 30 days? Are any forum members familiar with how things went after King Bhumibol passed away? How strictly were the rules followed, and what was and wasn't possible?

Thanks. This is the information I was looking for! Do you thinks there is a place where you will be able to see bit part of the lightshow, drones and fireworks from 1 place. Or do you really need to be on a boat travel wel place to place.