Milk78

It just seems a bit mad. There is no-one in these places and the streets are pretty dead. I would have stayed and gawked at the eye candy for a while and with some company... who knows. But when I can get pretty much whatever, whenever, and for free on Grindr without trying, why would you spend that amount? But even then - the eye candy is much diminished when they are all in jeans.... I might go back tomorrow if i am in the mood (or, as unlikely as it currently seems to be the case, drawing a blank on grindr). Sometimes it is nice to have a pro come over.

This is my third night in the Banyan Tree and all is going pretty well. A few minor niggles, the internet is not so great in my room. It is ok, but by the bed it can be very weak. I have had a few guys over to the room now and not one raised eyebrow or withering look. All my hookups have been on Grindr so far. The breakfast here as @Travellerdave mentions is fantastic. My experience of high end hotels is limited but I have been to a few and this breakfast is by far the best. When compared to the UK it is miles ahead, this is something you might actually want to pay for. I don't recall exactly how much it cost as the deal I got was so good I didn't pay attention to the details of the price breakdown. The package I have also has Club Lounge access. The actual lounge is still closed, they have not re-opened it yet after Covid outbreak. I can still have the drinks and snacks as per the Club package but they are now served in the lobby bar area. The Club access also provides you with afternoon tea (essentially canapes) and early evening snacks (more canapes). Both sets of canapes were very good, including a scallop dish, couscous, a braised beef amuse bouche, patatas bravas, and some miniature sweet pastries. At these times, the lobby gets as busy as I have seen the hotel (still not heaving), but there is a decent throng of people. I think I would have got more out of the Club package if the lounge had been open. I think the dedicated area would have made a difference and have had a calmer ambience. It is all a bit transitory with guests checking in and leaving. The Banyan Tree is billed as a 5* hotel and whilst it is very, very good, I think it has probably been outclassed now by some of the newer kids on the block – W, and So Sofitel. It is certainly not as glitzy as those venues. I might be a bit unfair to compare them in this way. Certainly, the service has been excellent and the room I am in looks to have been recently renovated. It may also be that when some venues in the hotel open up there will be more to it. There are 4 or 5 restaurants on site and the sky bar, which I visited this evening. I have not eaten here other than breakfast, mainly due to the prices. They are not exorbitant, but I have done very well with some of the recommendations provided on this forum for a fraction of the cost. I have to say the sky bar is pretty special and it has pretty special prices to match, but you are paying for the view and the night skyline is pretty fantastic. Would I stay here again? If I got a repeat of the deal I am on, then yes. Otherwise, as is my butterfly nature, I might try somewhere else. You won’t go wrong if you do decide to stay here though. There is a really cute waiter I have my on in case it transpires he is available…. I think it is a forlorn hope however. The guy I met yesterday came back over for a repeat session. I am usually more of a butterfly but it was good yesterday so thought I would go back to the well.... it was still really good and two climaxes later, we went our separate ways. He really is very cute. Thai guy who has been in the hotel trade for years it seems, working all over. He has a very small frame with tiny hands – about half the size of mine! I have always loved small guys with big dicks and he didn’t disappoint. I headed over to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Some nice things in there. An interesting exhibition on heritage architecture in the city and how much of it is being lost with the new developments. Then over to Central Embassy with a specific mission to check out the Paul Smith store. I was curious to know if it would be any cheaper than back in the UK, it wasn’t so left empty handed. Then back to the hotel for a meeting with Nut and a massage. He was great and I will be surprised if I don’t ask him over again before I leave. He did pour the oil on me though which I know @vinapuwould disapprove of – he didn’t drench me in the stuff though. He had quoted 1500 bht (including tip) to come to my hotel and I was very happy to pay him 2000 bht. Given that another guy on Grindr wanted 4000 bht (!) I thought Nut was extremely good value. He works in a spa massage place in the Silom Complex, I can’t remember the exact name, but he said that it was mainly local Thai guys that went there so it was not suffering as much as those places that relied on the tourist trade. I did enquire, using @vinapu's technique of asking him to select a partner to provide a 4 hands massage. He said he would but only if it was just a massage. He couldn’t do sex stuff if there was another boy involved. Fair enough I suppose. Following recommendation from @tm_nycI went to Somtum Der for some dinner. Excellent. And then to answer @z909 call I walked over to check out Hot Male. It was about 9pm at this point. 7/8 guys on stage. Well not on stage as I was the only customer in the place. As soon as I came in the door they all leapt onto stage to present themselves. They said that there was a show at 10.30pm and that they were shutting at midnight. I didn’t stay. On to Fresh Boys and a similar tale. There may have been two customers in there but it was difficult to tell. They were on their phones but sat at the back like they could have been customers and I didn’t really pay them attention – I think they were young ish so may have been extra boys? The boys (again 7/8) were already on stage when I entered the venue though so perhaps they were customers. I was told the show starts at 10pm and again they were closing at midnight. Drinks were 350 bht which felt pricy and back to regular cost for what was on offer so didn’t hang around. In both venues, the boys were in jeans but bare chested. Closed the night with a couple of cocktails in the Sky Bar back at Banyan Tree. I might yet check out Grindr but I think I am done for the night. Tomorrow I want to head over to Warehouse 30 and go to the night market at Talad Rod Fai. Depending on how things work out I might check out Hot Male and Fresh Boys again tomorrow. Now that I am back in my room I kind of wish they were still open as I am feeling in the mood for it now. It has been a busy day though and I can’t complain – 3 loads shot today is probably quite enough.

Anyone know about The Sun Club Tawan? I passed it last night on way back to hotel after I had been to Mango Tree. Seems to be advertising itself as a BDSM place.

I did head over to Paradis for a massage. It was ok. Not great, and certainly not poor - middle of the road. After a busy today today (more in a minute) I have Nut coming over to give me a massage tomorrow. I am sure others have mentioned Nut - maybe not the same person, but I am hopeful that he will deliver... I wandered about a bit last night to get my bearings again. It was still quite early in the evening but even so, it was very quiet. I can confirm that @vinapu selection of Chicken and Cashew at the multi-award winning Foodland is excellent.... I wandered around for a bit and ended up The Balcony for a couple of drinks. It was probably 8pm ish by this point and there were maybe 6/7 others in there. The rest of Soi 4 was also pretty dead. It may have livened up later but I was really tired. I stopped at 7-11 picked up a couple of beers and retired to the hotel. I slept well and was down to breakfast at 8am. The breakfast here is fantastic. I will do a more considered review of Banyan Tree in a day or two when i have had chance to check it all out. After breakfast I got moved out of my Day 1 PCR room to my original room booking. A higher floor with great views over the city and much newer i think. It looks fresher (particularly the carpet!) and has a more luxurious feel to it. Possible too nice - I could have easily stayed in my room and not bothered going out! Having thought about various options, I headed over to the Jam Factory to see what that was like. Sad to say, that there is virtually nothing there anymore. I had heard and read that it was a great place to spend some time combined with some potential for interesting shopping. Not so much anymore. The cafe and bookshop are great (well, the bookshop looks great - lots of interesting titles but all in Thai so nothing for me) but that is all there really is now. Covid seems to have hit hard. I wandered over to IconSiam which 5 min walk. Much quieter than my last visit two years ago. The food market was as tempting as it was last time, but i had filled up on breakfast so wasn't really in the mood for more food. On a recommendation I headed over to Kathmandu Photo Gallery. What a fantastic little place. I did not know Manit Sriwanichpoom's work before going to his gallery. I really liked it and wanted to buy one of his books that was on display. Unfortunately, it was the only copy of the volume that they had in stock and they wouldn't sell it to me. I will certainly be looking him up and seeing what else I can find out about him. Again, on recommendations, I headed to another shop that was close, The House of Chao. Very disappointing. It is an antique shop but the object in there were not that special and inflated prices in my opinion. The day was not turning out as I had hoped. Two of three recommendations were pretty duff. In the case of the Jam Factory, I am sure that pre-Covid there would have been more of interest. I really wasn't feeling any appetite for boy hook-ups. I headed back to the hotel, had a shower (it was really humid today and when the Thais seem to be feeling it as well, it must be pretty full on) and flopped on the bed to get some sleep. I didn't really sleep, but after an hour I switched on Grindr "just to see what was about"... Of course I ended up hooking up with a local (not a money boy) and had a very nice couple of hours testing out the bed in the new room. Grindr is proving really good for me. So much so, that I haven't bothered with the clubs tonight. After working up an appetite I headed over to Mango Tree for dinner. I knew I should have known better when the waiter asked if "I liked a bit of spice?", which I do - I can handle a bit of chilli heat. This nearly blew my head off. I really enjoyed it, but it was very spicy! The waiter was very cute and got a red note for his attentions. Now to bed, more soon.

What time are the boy bars, I mean restaurants, opening? Are they opening earlier to compensate?

I have finally made it back to BKK! It is two years since I was here last, my first time in the city, and I have had to cancel the trip at least twice during that period because of Covid. I long debated whether i would come this time with all the restrictions still in place and the danger of testing positive and ending up in a hospital for 10 days! I arrived at 5am this morning, was in my room and tested by 6.30am. The test results came back all clear at 1.30pm. Not a bad turnaround I suppose. In June last year I picked up an amazing flight deal which worked out at 50% of the normal price of return Premium Economy with Swiss. It turns out that the tickets were in fact Business Class, so probably only about 20% of the usual cost. Swiss Business is not the best in the world, but still comes with a lie flat bad so it was plenty good enough for me, that and kick starting the holiday with very many glasses of champagne, there are worse ways to begin a trip. I have done a similar flight a few years ago to Vietnam and the experience was a smooth as it was then. A short hop from London Heathrow to Zurich and then the 10h30 flight to BKK. I was glad that I had printed off all the documentation - Thai Pass, Pre-departure PCR test certificate, Vaccine certificate, Hotel booking, Health Insurance cover note, as they were scrutinised at 5 different points along the route. And I mean scrutinised! At each point the documents were really looked at to make sure they all checked out. I was a little nervous because whilst I had timed everything within the rules, my pre departure test was right on the line. I could see the check in guy at Heathrow doing the maths in his head.... When I booked the flights, I also found a stunning deal for the Banyan Tree. Whilst the first night is in their "basic" room for the Day 1 test, I was able to upgrade the room for a fraction of the cost. For the week it is working out at about 50% of its usual price. The Day Test here was more expensive than elsewhere, but the service I have had has been extremely efficient. I have now had the all clear and am free to go about my business.... And get to business I have. I just had a guy from Grindr come over which was fun. I am thinking about heading over to Silom to get a massage at Paradis. A boy from there has been messaging me since I opened up Grindr. They don't appear to have had any customers today. I will wander over soon to do my bit for the local economy. After that, I think I will visit @vinapurecommended 5* eating experience and then, depending on the time, check out what the scene is like and what is open. That is, as long as the jet lag doesn't hit hard. I have had quite an exhausting day already.....

I am arriving in BKK on Monday and looking for restaurant recommendations.... Definitely visiting the @vinapu rated 5* venue and will be taking the chicken and cashews. Where are the other reasonably priced star venues? I can go eat high end and I am sure I can get great food on the street - I am looking for those places that are not flashy or trying to hard. Somewhere I am not going to feel out of place wearing whatever I want to wear... and ideally close to the boys in Silom, but not exclusively if I can get there easily...

Wow - those numbers really are tiny. I am amazed there are any businesses still going. I will be doing my bit soon - arrive on the 28 March as long as I manage to avoid the plague pre departure!

That's a good point. I am an idiot and had not thought this through! Consensus seems to be to buy once released so that is what i shall do!

But that is also one of the issues - I will need to get it at the airport or get one in the UK as I will be holed up until test results come back...

Thai Pass all sorted so fingers crossed I manage to avoid the UK Covid spike at the moment and I get on a plane on the 27 March! To anyone who has been to BKK recently, what is the best advice getting a Thai Sim Card for use - am i better ordering one in the UK to be delivered to me here or waiting and getting one at the (BKK) airport? If the airport - where do I find the best shop?

I agree! Cases in the UK have shown a sharp increase this week - 120k Monday, 66k yesterday, but the hospitalisation and deaths is not nearly in line with those numbers (as compared to previous first and second waves in 2021). Population in UK now roughly 3/4 triple vaccinated and that is clearly having an impact on the (lack of) severity of Omicron. I have decided to go ahead with a trip to Thailand at the end of March. Fingers crossed!!

Anyone know if I have to buy my lateral flow test for Day 5 in Thailand, or can I bring my free NHS ones and use that?

True, but the Day 5 test was, for me, the most contentious. Yes, you could still test positive with a lateral flow of course, but the restriction of location and additional cost was annoying. In truth it is probably not that much of a reduction in restrictions, but it does feel like a bit of a shift and somehow less anxiety inducing.

Is ATK a Lateral Flow Test? Can I bring my own tests with me, or do i have to get them in Thailand? Do you have to document your result somewhere - or is it just on the individual's say so that they have taken it/ had a negative test result? Lots of questions, but seems like good news!

Just seen this posted. Can anyone else confirm or has more information? https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/thailand-test-go-update-no-more-day-5-pre-paid-hotel-or-pcr-test

I am staying at Banyan Tree and they are saying that if you get a test with them before 6pm then the result will be through that night. After 6pm it will be the next morning. Whether this turns out to be true or not is another question..... I too am arriving late March but my flight lands at 5.15am so very much hope I will be done and released before the evening! I am going ahead and booking the tests in the next couple of days so I can get Thai pass sorted. I don't want to leave it last minute. It might mean I end up paying for something that I don't need but better safe than sorry.

I am staying at the Banyan Tree in late March. Booked the room last July as the deal was incredible. I have recently been in touch to find out about the PCR tests and will, I am sure, book directly with them. Day 1 PCR - 3,500 bht Transfer to hotel in private hire taxi - 2,000 bht

Banyan Tree have offered me car and test. 4-6 hours results back for Day 1 test. Does anybody know if I am allowed to bring a few lateral flow tests with me in my luggage? If so, I will order a few before I fly out and take them with me.

Thanks @vinapu for you rich and through report! A really great and useful read. I am heading to BKK and then Chiang Mai at the end of March for a couple of weeks. any issues with joiners at Phor Liang Meun Teracotta Arts in Chiang Mai? I AirBnb last time i was in Chiang Mai but the hotels all have really good rates so might do that this time.

Thanks, that's helpful.

I have a trip booked at the end of March so plenty of time for things to change on the Test and Go front (both positively and negatively!) but could do with some advice on my travel planning. Any help gratefully received! I land in BKK on 28 March at about 2pm. My initial plan was to then hop on a flight to Chiang Mai and spend a week there before coming back to BKK for another week. The current Test and Go, if i have got it right, requires a PCR on Day 1 and 5. Do I have to take the Day 1 PCR in BKK, as that is the first point of entry, or can I get on the flight to Chiang Mai and take the tests there? If I have to take the Day 1 test in BKK are there hotels close to the airport that i can use so I don't have to spend all the time getting into BKK just to come straight back out to the airport again? Presumably it would be ok, if i have to stay in BKK for Day 1 test, to take Day 5 test in Chiang Mai? So take test, travel, take test in new location?

Thanks for the report @vinapu! I am hoping to get back to BKK and Chiang Mai in March. My first trip to LOS was January 2020 - right before Covid hit properly. I was in Chiang Mai for Chinese New Year and it was just starting to become a major thing. I found the scene in Chiang Mai to be really poor but I did hook up with a local student. We had an amazing few days, he was not a money boy, we hooked up on an app and we are still in regular contact. When I am back in March (all fingers crossed) we will hook up again.....

British Airways announced they were stopping their direct routes to Thailand again. Today there are reports in the Guardian that quarantine free travel is being considered. Not sure if they are quoting local media or whether they have their own sources.

In case anyone is interested for future reference, I have had confirmed from the hotel that joiners are allowed at the Banyan Tree in Bangkok.