jimmie50

At some point during my trip report I was asked if I had compiled a list of massage shops. I actually did create sort of a cheat sheet for myself of the places I wanted to visit. The list is by no means extensive, and I am sure by now some of the info is out of date. X accounts, LINE addresses, and websites seem to change, get suspended, or vanish completely without any notice or warning. lol. Info was current prior to my departure on October 14. No guarantees after that date! These are in no particular order...just my personal list of shops I had planned to visit. Yes...overly optimistic, wasn't I?!? Prestige 79 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Rd, Si Lom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 +66 96 889 1777 605 24 Phra Khanong - Khlong Ban Pa, Khwaeng Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10260, +66 61 323 8531 @Prestige_Msg Arena / https://arenaspa.wordpress.com/ 491/23-24, 3/F Silom Plaza, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand +66 2 635 3645 @arenaspabkk S’sense https://ssensemassage.com/ 562/16 Soi Sathon 3, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand +66 644628503 Prince 253/4 Suan Phlu 6 Alley, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand +66 91 765 2222 Senso https://sensospacom.wordpress.com/ 5/8 Saladeng Rd., Silom Bangrak Bangkok 10500 Office: 02-1296739 Mobile: 0811073888 FaFa 233, 8 Soi Sukhumvit 77, Phra Khanong Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand +66 95 323 3242 @fafaspa_bkk Klover Thanon Nang Linchi, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120, Thailand +66 94 698 9556 Atman 1213, 503 Town In Town Soi 17, Phlabphla, Wang Thonglang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand +66 92 262 3986 @PKhewkaw94994 Glam 380/2 Ratchadaphisek Rd, Samsen Nok, Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand +66 61 161 5093 JeySpa 14/7 Soi Sukhumvit 43, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand +66 61 834 5252 SMS Sanctuary 18/8, Building Rama 4 City Court, 10330 Rama IV Rd, Khwaeng Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand +66 90 897 7140 @sanctuaryspabkk Ganymede http://www.ganymedespa.com/home 69/37 phatumwan resort Phaya Thai Rd, Sub-district Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 97 170 5418 @GanymedeSpa TCS (has recently opened a second location) 2, 22 Soi Seng Ki, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand +66 80 414 2944 @tcsspa Onespa 9 Inthamara 3, Sutthisan Winitchai Rd, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 96 040 7349 15M/27M 15M: 1575 18 Phahonyothin Rd, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 61 196 5666 @boybk12345 27M: 327 Sutthisan Winitchai Rd, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 61 198 5666 @massage_27m Phetboy (now Boy Boy) 1511/26 Phahonyothin Rd, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 92 487 7989 @suththi33654 Phoenix 9 Chuen Yaem Alley, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 62 283 7447 BT House Massage 240 Sutthisan Winitchai Rd, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 92 874 1290 @bthouse2025 The Master Gallery 818/126 Soi. Sukhumvit 103, Bangna Nuea, Bangna District, Bangkok, Thailand +66 81 242 6152 @TheMastegallery https://x.com/i/status/1880200216940597576 365 The River 375/5 Pracha Rat Sai 2 Rd, Bang Sue, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok 10800, Thailand +66 64 640 6500 @365theriver House 98 Massage 55 163 Ban Klang Muang, Rama 9, Ladprao, Phlapphla, Wang Thonglang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand +66 93 362 9598 @House98massage History of Massage Stadium One Project No. 719-727 2nd Floor, Chulalongkorn Soi 4, Wang Mai Subdistrict, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330 +66 91 535 2424 @History_Bangkok Gbeat / Stars.BKK (possible name change) 1575, 53-54 Phahonyothin Rd, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand +66 99 046 4455 @intraspa Wabi Sabi 44, 4 Soi Pipat, Si Lom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand +66 65 078 4825 @WabiSabi_MS Men Care (have 4 other locations) 71/2-3 Soi Si Bamphen, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120 @mencare_x

Final Observations/Comments While I saw large numbers of foreigners in Bangkok, we really did not run into large groups of tourists until we got to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. Both places were overrun with groups and buses. The groups were primarily Chinese, although we did meet groups from Spain, France, and Germany. Also met several groups from South American countries. We met a number of Australians traveling independently or part of smaller groups. Saw no other tour groups from North America. That is not to say they didn’t exist…we just did not cross paths. Chiang Mai has done an excellent job of marketing itself as a vacation destination. However, they do not appear to be well equipped to handle such a large influx of tourists and need to do more to alleviate traffic problems and the overcrowded airport. Personally, I would not return to Chiang Mai because of these concerns. My air travel was booked through United, so most of the travel was directly with United. Denver is a hub for United and Southwest, so my airline choices are very limited when traveling to Asia. However, I did fly EVA from Taipei to Bangkok and Thai Airways from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. I am always impressed with the level of service and the number of cabin crew members on Asian airlines compared to US based airlines. Customer service is definitely not a priority on US carriers when compared to Asian carriers…from my experience. Some people enjoy group tours, while others loathe them and prefer to do their own thing. I do enjoy them at times, and am glad I signed up for this trip. I was able to learn more about Thailand and its history. The guide was very knowledgeable and thorough. Everything was well organized and a variety of activities were included. With the exception of one, all of the hotels were nice, meals good, and staff everywhere were friendly, polite and helpful. Unfortunately, the hotel used in Bangkok at the start of the tour was not one I would recommend…Galleria 10 near Terminal 21/Sukhumvit…was older, inconvenient and somewhat unsafe location, rundown and desperately in need of remodeling. So, my only real complaints about the tour are Bangkok hotel and crowds in Chiang Mai. All in all not a bad trip. I really want to thank forum members for all of their recommendations and suggestions before my trip. Your wisdom and encouragement helped to make my time in Bangkok the highlight of this trip. I stepped outside of my comfort zone and had some new, exciting experiences. Not bad for a 73 year old! Was surprised I still had some of the old adventure in me. As for an update on my love life, I hear from Sam (Paradise) regularly. Nothing serious…just casual chat…but something he wants and no requests for any type of assistance. Just wants to keep in touch and hopes to see me again…soon. No more contact with Grinder #1. Think he got the message I wasn’t interested. Bee and I are continuing to communicate. He says he wants to be boyfriends whether I send him money or not. I am trying to keep an open mind and positive attitude, but really just waiting to see what happens. He has been very attentive with messages and been careful not to mention or refer to anything in regards to his finances. I am very careful not to ask or bring it up at all. Contemplating a possible return to Thailand in February for two months, but made no definite plans as of now. Just taking a wait and see approach at the moment.

Forgot to mention. AquaCNX charges one price that includes tip. 90 minute aroma oil massage including tip was 2500 Baht. Not sure how much of that is considered tip and goes directly to the masseur and what portion the house keeps for massage service. They provided no breakdown and I didn't think to ask.

Day 22 - Chiang Mai to Suvarnabhumi to Denver So many tourists in town because of the festival that finding transportation to the airport was a real dilemma. I had not realized prior to arriving in Chiang Mai that this would be an issue, so I did not pre-book any type of service. Big mistake. I tried multiple local limousine services and each provided the same response: ‘Nothing Available’. Woody to the rescue. I contacted Woody and explained my situation. Asked if he would be available for a quick trip to Chiang Mai airport. Fortunately, he was available and agreed to give me a lift. I was definitely in panic mode there for a short period of time. Hotel front desk was not much help arranging transportation, either. They were having similar difficulties find rides for people. Many guests were ending up on Grab motor scooters. I wasn’t sure that would work for me going to the airport with luggage. lol. Crisis averted, I arrived at the airport with three hours to spare before my short flight to Bangkok. Good thing I was early, because that airport was absolutely packed to the rafters. Lines weaving everywhere. Disorganized chaos. It took every minute of two hours just to get checked in, through security, and to the gate. Never before have I experienced such chaos in an airport, and certainly don’t wish to experience it again. I can honestly say after this trip I do not care to ever visit Chiang Mai again! What a horrifying way to begin my return trip to Denver. Suvarnabhumi was smooth sailing in comparison. I flew Thai Airways from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, but then needed to retrieve my luggage at domestic and recheck with United International for the next leg of my journey. Somehow managed to be first in check-in line at United, then took the security line for seniors and disabled persons. That was quick and easy, as was my pass through immigration. In fact, this process went so fast I arrived at my gate way too early and it was even open yet. Extra security screening at the gate before boarding. I was told this was because we are going to Hong Kong and it is their requirement. Also had to go back through security in Hong Kong before boarding the plane to San Francisco. I have flown through and visited Hong Kong before, but it has been quite a few years. I don’t recall security being so tight back then. Anyway, flights from BKK to HK and HK to San Francisco were on time with no issues or concerns. I was not sure what to expect upon arrival in SF due to the government shutdown and slow down of air traffic at major airports. Was not surprised at all when they said the flight from SF to Denver would be delayed at least 2 hours. Finally arrived in Denver at 3am Sunday, November 9. Had more problems with jet lag on the return trip than I did going to Thailand, so been sluggish and tired most of this week. Sorry for the lateness of my trip report.

Day 21 - Chiang Mai Last day in Chiang Mai. Slept a little later before going down to breakfast. Had decided to give AquaCNX a try in the afternoon. Before then I started the process of packing for my return trip to Denver and went for one last manicure. Never had one before this trip, but really am enjoying that service…and so inexpensive in Thailand. AquaCNX was actually not far from the hotel. I decided to take a tuk-tuk there since I had just showered and didn’t want to be all hot and sweaty. It is not difficult to locate. Classic House is more hidden and out of the way. Not sure I would have been able to find it had I not been with Woody. There is little to no ambience at AquaCNX. The waiting area was very cold and sterile. There is one love seat that you sit on facing another open, empty room with a sliding glass door. They take appointments via LINE, but are also able to do walk-ins. Seven therapists were on duty during my visit and summoned to this empty room for my perusal. Out of the 7 available, only one identified as gay, and I recognized three from photos on their website. All three looked much older in person than in their online photos. None of the 7 were really my type. All were too bulky, too old, or too chubby for my liking. I finally decided to choose the gay guy. He led me up two flights of steps into a fairly large room which contained a full size bed, A/C unit, lamp and small table, and separate shower room (no toilet). Shower was luke-warm at best, and no soap. Towel was old and worn but clean. Rinsed off and then situated myself on the bed face down. Masseur came in a few minutes later and rinsed off in the shower as well. Massage itself was minimal and short before quickly moving to extra services. No real massage skills, but that is not what we are really looking for in a place like this anyway. Overall impression - rather sleazy. Been there, done that, never again kind of situation for me. Classic House is by far the better option here. Clean, pleasant atmosphere, polite and respectful masseurs, good variety of therapists to choose from…no real comparison from my perspective. Did some last minute shopping and grabbed a quick bite of dinner before heading back to the hotel.

Day 20 - Chiang Mai Today I will meet Woody from Siam Roads. Originally we were going to connect the next day, but as a convenience to us both we agreed to change the day. Woody was great at communication, and picked me up at the Empress Hotel on the agreed upon time. I specifically wanted to visit an elephant sanctuary, so that was first on the agenda. It was about an hour drive outside of Chiang Mai. It had been raining off and on during the time in Chiang Mai, so weather was going to be a factor. Fortunately, we had the entire morning seeing the elephants without any rain. Stayed here through lunch, and then Woody had a large temple complex he thought I would be interested in seeing. Quite impressive, I agree, and glad he suggested it. Returned to the city late afternoon and went by Classic House where I was able to get a massage (yes, with extra service). That definitely helped to lift my spirits, but also spending time with Woody was nice and a good distraction from the Bangkok drama. Went to a really nice night market where we had some dinner together before returning to the Empress for some much needed rest. Highly recommend Woody’s tour guide services to anyone planning to visit Northern Thailand.

Day 19 - Chiang Mai Empress Hotel in Chiang Mai is probably one of the older establishments, but rooms were comfortable and service was great. They also have a ‘convention center’ attached and were hosting some Southeast Asia Tech Summit. It must be the favored place to stay for many tour companies as well, and many tour groups were in town for the festival. To be quite honest, had I done my research and realized that the stay in Chiang Mai would coincide with Yi Peng Lantern Festival and Loy Krathong, I would have returned to Bangkok for my last few days instead of staying in Chiang Mai. Every place was simply too crowded and overrun with tourists in Chiang Mai. Traffic was horrible and way too many tour buses and large groups for the infrastructure to handle. We traveled outside of Chiang Mai to experience a visit to one of the Hill Tribes, see new crops being planted, learn about herbal remedies, and see crafts made. On our way back into town we stopped at Queen Sirikit Botanic Gardens. What beautiful scenery. After checking out the various greenhouses we stopped at an orchid farm where we enjoyed a nice lunch. Looking back, most of our group meals were buffet style and always included steamed rice, pad thai, and without exception the famous cashew chicken. We had a couple of hours late afternoon to rest or explore on our own before meeting to go to Khantoke Dinner and Show. The performers wore traditional costumes and included traditional Northern Thailand music and dancing. Our food was served on a pedestal tray used as a small dining table. It was a nice way to conclude our group tour together. In the morning, everyone will head to the airport and go their separate ways…most returning home, but a couple of adventurers traveling on to Singapore and Malaysia. Of course, I am remaining in Chiang Mai for two more days.

Day 18 - Chiang Mai Chiang Rai hotel was literally a three ring circus at breakfast. Restaurant opened at 6am. Our departure wasn’t until 8am, but I had been awake since 5am so decided to go down early when it opened. One very large tour group with three full busloads was checking out at 6am and all of them headed for the breakfast buffet before departure. I certainly made a bad decision going early. Since the large group was long gone when we started loading the bus, it was pretty smooth sailing. Wish I could say the same for the ride, but there was a lot of road construction through the mountains between Chiang Rai and about half way to Chiang Mai. Slow going, and rough riding. Stopped at a rest area after only about one hour to gives us a bit of a break from the road conditions. Next stop was at Mae Kachan Hot Springs for a chance to dip our toes in or boil some eggs in the bubbling hot springs. After the hot springs, we stopped at a local restaurant to grab some lunch…delicious Khao Soi noodle soup. I love it so much. I’ve been waiting for this the entire trip. Even made sure I was first in line! Started to rain during lunch, but by the time we had finished eating and were ready to continue on our way to Chiang Mai the rain had stopped. As you all know, Chiang Mai is known as the place for temple exploring. We visited both Wat Phra Singh temple, which was built in 1345, and Wat Chedi Luang temple, a charming wooden creation famous for its huge Lanna style stupa. In the evening we went to explore one of Chiang Mai’s iconic night markets. Our arrival is also the beginning of a lantern festival. While some communities have toned down the celebrations out of respect for the Queen Mother’s passing, that was not the case in Chiang Mai. Festivities were in full swing as planned including fireworks.

Day 17 - Chiang Rai Boarded the bus for a one hour ride to the Golden Triangle and Chiang Saen. The ancient city of Chiang Saen is a town that is one three sides bordered by a wall and a moat and one side by the Mekong River. It was a strategic border post of the Lanna Kingdom as well as an important center of Buddhism. It was part of a Burmese kingdom between roughly 1558 and 1804. We jumped on a boat for a cruise of the Mekong River to the spot where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos all meet up. We dropped by Don Sao Island Markets to stretch our legs, pick up some handicrafts, and munch on tasty local goodies. Upon our return to Chiang Saen, we went to the Hall of Opium. This was an amazing museum packed full of history into a fascinating ‘edutainment’ experience. Interesting piece of history I had forgotten from 60+ years go when we studied the Opium Wars in World History class. In the evening we explored a large night market in Chiang Rai for some more shopping and street food for dinner. Continued with my chats throughout the day with Bee. So far he has been very attentive and sweet in his messaging regardless of the fact he does not think he is a sweet person. lol. I am enjoying the attention. Presents me with a dilemma when we arrive in Chiang Mai as I am unsure if I want to visit Classic House and AquaCNX now for massage…or go and just get the massage without any extras. Don’t want to mess things up, and already been checking return flights to Bangkok in early 2026.

Day 16 - Chiang Rai To be honest, early morning departures are getting to be exhausting. Luggage needs to be ready and outside our hotel room one hour before scheduled departure, plus we need to have breakfast before getting on the bus. 6am breakfast and luggage call with 7am departure for Chiang Rai. Today will be a very long bus ride…approximately 7.5 hours. We made a couple of stops along the way at various local temples so we could stretch and use the restroom as needed. During these stops is where I learned that Buddhist temples do not all look the same. Style of the temple and also the Buddha is very much a regional thing. Temples in Northern Thailand look different from those we may have visited in Bangkok. The face of Buddha is more human-like in the north, and they decorate the face as if wearing make-up. The tour director said this was the result of a strong influence from Myanmar over hundreds of years. We made a stop at Khaw Phayao Lake for lunch. This is the largest fresh water lake in Northern Thailand. We had fried fish and tiny little shrimps that were deep fried…both a specialty of this region. After lunch we continued on our journey to Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple. Unlike many Thai temples that are centuries old, Wat Rong Khun was built in 1977. It was the brainchild of artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. He grew up in the small town where an old version of this temple existed. Using proceeds from his art, he rebuilt the temple to his specifications and using his art inside the temple. It is definitely very striking and one of the most recognizable temples in Thailand. I highly recommend a visit here. Finally, we completed our long travel day with a short drive into central Chiang Rai, checked into our hotel, enjoyed a buffet group dinner before ultimately crashing.

So true, and a fact I truly do not understand. Why did people vote for him this time around, and what is this hold he has over the Republican party in general?!? I don't get it.

No contact from Bee yesterday. Either he has figured out this ship isn't going to sail, or perhaps thinks the lack of any contact will produce a change of heart on my part. In either case, the silence was actually a relief to me. Enjoyed my day with Woody on Tuesday, and he hooked me up at his shop for a massage. That certainly helped lift my spirits. lol. Ventured out on my own yesterday afternoon to AquaCNX. Will include a full review when I get home and wrap up the trip report, but for now just wanted to update everyone on my current 'situation'. Head for Chiang Mai airport around noon to begin that long trek back to Denver. Not looking forward to that.

Probably in the minority here, but I don't think you were rude. Based upon his reaction, and a little on the photos that have been shared, he strikes me as a prissy prima donna. Again, just personal opinion. He certainly is a cutie, and wouldn't kick him out of my bed for sure. Over the years, I have been asked by non-native English speakers to tutor them in English, often after being introduced at some social function. Never bothered me, nor did I consider it rude. I think part of the issue is what has been discussed here before...the lack of communication and interpersonal skills of the techie generation. They simply do not know how to conduct themselves in a social setting.

Thanks to everyone for the moral support, suggestions and good advice. Really appreciate it!!!

While my intent was to do something nice, you are correct. I opened the door. Might as well have opened my wallet and said 'help yourself'. Guess the advantage of always having my Thai friends taking care of me when visiting in the past, I was protected or sheltered from such experiences. Lesson learned the hard way. Guess the old saying you are never too old to learn something new is true in my case.

Yes, lesson learned and nice tip for him. It has been raining quite a lot...more than was expected. Got soaked at the Sunday night market and again yesterday at some large temple complex outside of the city. Today is overcast, but no rain so far. Chiang Mai is literally overrun with tourists. Bus after bus after bus. Traffic is horrible. Lantern Festival November 4-6 was heavily promoted by Chiang Mai government. Honestly think more tourists are here than I saw in Bangkok. Definitely at or over maximum capacity for venues to even function properly.

Yes, the tap has been cut off, so to speak. I have heard from him again explaining that he has a 150,000 Baht loan he needs to pay off which is why he needs the help. I haven't blocked him, but also haven't responded. Disappointed for sure, but also have no desire to be in any type of relationship where the entire purpose is for me to be a walking ATM. As I said, realistically it was too good to be true.

He works at Kasikorn Bank. He goes between the Sathorn branch and the Silom branch. I have met him at the Sathorn branch for a quick cup of coffee when he has taking a break, so I have seen him actually working at the bank and in uniform with badge. That part I don't doubt. I know where the massage shop in Sathorn is located, very near his bank, but do not know the name nor did I realize he was working there. They are all older women except him. I thought he was just having casual conversation with them and did not realize they knew each other from a working relationship. No idea the name or location of the Surawong shop. He showed me photos of his parents, as well as his sister who was killed in the tsunami and some other family members that were killed. I believe he said he lost a total of 9 or 12 family members in that horrific event. I know his actual Thai name (Bee is nickname), have seen his official government ID, know the address of his studio apartment but never actually been there, and don't know how much he pays in rent monthly. I didn't want to ask at the time. I suppose the family photos could belong to someone else, but I would have no way of knowing that. Given that so much info was actually factual...I guess I just wanted to believe it was all true. Don't know what part or how much is fiction.

As a follow-up to my most recent update, Bee shared when asking for support that he also works part time after bank hours at two different massage shops...one in Sathorn and the other Surawong. I believe they were owned by the same person and they just send him to the shop where he is needed the most. No judgement about that...realize he is doing what he needs to do in order to support himself and his parents. Just filled with mixed emotions.

Day ??? - Update Good morning. Am just running out of steam and have decided to finish the trip report once I return to Denver the end of this week. Really just physically exhausted, and emotionally drained. Been in a funk the last couple of days with lots of mixed emotions and some disappointment as well. Two days ago, during one of our daily exchange of messages, Bee mentioned he was going to be short on his rent for November. I know, I know…everyone else probably saw this coming. Initially I had expected some sort of plea for financial assistance, but it never came, so I guess I was overly optimistic that there might be more to this. Anyway, I asked how much he needed and he said 5000 Baht. I agreed to deposit the money into his bank account so that he could pay his rent. Didn’t mind, really, and just being me…even added an extra 5000 to the deposit. So, all total was 10,000 Baht. Keep in mind he had only asked for 5000, so being overly generous is totally on me. Then yesterday, a message about how low his salary is at the bank and how many financial obligations he has, plus the need to support his parents, etc. - you get the general idea by now. His remedy to the dire financial situation is that I could send him a monthly stipend of 1000 USD!!! As I said, I was half expecting this early on before getting too emotionally invested. Basically just told him I was retired, on a fixed income, and not interested in such an arrangement unless we were actually a couple living together with shared expenses. No reply yet to what would amount to a flat out refusal of his request. Will see what transpires next, but definitely not sending any more money to him, and really am very disappointed to learn it was nothing more than a game to him and all about the money. Thus…my funky mood. Meeting Woody this morning from Siam Roads, so hopefully he will be able to brighten my spirits a bit…think I will have him set me up for a massage at his shop today with some cute guy to take my mind off the negative feelings. Everyone here had warned me to be careful, so it wasn't a total shock, but still...

Thanks for the info. As I said, I had never heard of it or tasted it before but really enjoyed it. Not sure if it is available at Asian markets in the US or not, but will need to look for it. So far, this is the only place it has been offered. Most places they have an ample supply of watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe and dragon fruit, but have not found the lamood again.

LOL. Didn't realize I was required to site sources on this site. Really too much information at this point and trying to remember everything is nearly impossible. Feeling like I need to order a book on history of Thailand once I return home to do further investigation. The guides have talked about the Khmer influence, so I would say nothing is being filtered, but cannot be 100% sure they are only providing basics. I believe they are being very thorough. I'm just on information overload at this point, plus the fact I am tired and running out of steam. Memory isn't what it used to be, so often need to refer back to online info to fill in the gaps.

Day 15 Sukhothai I had never heard of Sukhothai before this trip, nor really knew much about the history of Thailand. Sukhothai is known as the birthplace of Thai civilization. Our day started with a visit to the UNESCO listed Sukhothai Historical Park where we had a chance to explore the centuries old temples and palace ruins. One interesting fact to me was that prior to Buddhism, many people were actually Hindu and you can see a mixture of both Hinduism and Buddhism in many of the old temples. Under royal patronage, Buddhism flourished and many impressive monasteries were constructed of brick covered with carved stucco. The Kingdom of Sukhothai is credited with the invention and development of many of the unique identifying characteristics of Siamese (Thai) culture, many of them attributed directly to the kingdom’s most famous and beloved King Ramkhamhaeng, who is considered the Founding Father of the Thai Nation. Stone inscriptions found at the sites provided evidence of the earliest examples of Thai writing and gave a detailed account of the economy, religion, social organization and governance of the Sukhothai Kingdom. The area of Sukhothai was also home to accomplished innovators in hydraulic engineering. They modified the landscape of the kingdom in such a way that water was dammed; reservoirs, ponds and canals were constructed; flooding controlled; and water was brought to serve a variety of agricultural, economic and ritual functions as well as to provide the towns’ inhabitants with water for their daily lives and protection in the form of city moats. From that day onwards, the kings of Thailand have been acknowledged for their ability to control the kingdom’s water. The Sukhothai Kingdom was known as a prosperous time and place, and in Thai history has often been referred to as a Golden Age, The Happiness of Thai, or The Dawn of Happiness. I highly recommend a visit to this area. We followed up our visit to the Historical Park with a foodie adventure…Thai Cooking Class. We went to the Baan Suan Suda Cooking School where our host gave us a tour of their garden with homegrown herbs, vegetables and fruits. Next we sorted out the different ingredients we would need to prepare our dishes getting to experience the Thai version of farm to table. At the conclusion we were able to feast on the amazing dishes we prepared: Sweet/Sour Chicken, Cashew Chicken, Chicken Green Curry, Stir-fried Morning Glory, and Pad Thai. We finished off with fresh fruit from the garden called Thai Lamoot…something new to me. After lunch we had two hours to relax in our rooms or around the hotel swimming pool before meeting to attend Sukhothai Loy Krathong Festival. With roots going back over 700 years, this ancient festival honors the water goddess and carries deep cultural meaning. A unique part of the celebration is Phao Thian Len Fai— the lighting of candles and fireworks displays as well as various forms of live entertainment. I assume this tradition must be a part of Thai identity and cultural pride, similar to the festivals scheduled to take place in Bangkok (Light Show) and Pattaya (Fireworks). Celebrations have been toned down somewhat due to the passing of the Queen Mother, so there were no fireworks displays, but plenty of candle lighting and other light displays. We saw intricate krathonhs, sky lanterns and even historical recreations from King Ramkhamhaeng’s era. Enjoyed many different types of food from street vendors for dinner. Continue to communicate with Paradise Sam and boyfriend Bee on a daily basis. Just taking things slowly, day by day...see where it goes.

Some places are classified as H places where full service is offered and expected. S - Soft (Hand Job mostly) and SS - Super Soft (B2B) places have stricter rules. There is a limit to what the therapists can offer in S and SS shops, and going beyond that will incur the wrath of management. This does not mean that more is never offered at such places, but that is something to discuss in private with the therapist once the doors are closed.

Currently in Sukhothai where they are having a Candle Festival. It is happening as scheduled, but fireworks are canceled. Instead they are doing light shows with laser, drones, etc. as it is more respectful in light of the Queen Mother's passing. I suspect adjustments are being made around all of Thailand to any sort of festival or celebration out of respect.