Midguy1

Good news for those who admire Nicky, he was back on stage last night.

Day 2.
 
Woke up late at Grand Hyatt Erawan. After breakfast I asked for a late checkout and they gave me a 4PM checkout without hesitation. It is probably also a byproduct of the hotel still being in medium capacity.
Went to CentralWorld only to discover they closed all Coffee Bean branches in BKK. I like the big department store in CentralWorld that used to be called Zen and is now called Central. It's same prices as home but with lots of Asian brands we don't have back home. Bought my husband a backpack that he wanted and carried on my way back to hotel for checkout.
W Hotel - I only stayed the first night at the Hyatt for the fast “get out of jail” card. Rest of the nights I wanted to spend at Silom. I Usually stay at the Meridien but I wanted to diversify since hotel prices were the cheapest I ever saw in BKK. I booked a studio suite at W for a total of 750 USD for 3 nights. I used rewards that I have so didn't actually pay but the fact is that this room in this hotel usually costs more than double. I booked that room specifically since I had a naughty fantasy with that tub which will be fulfilled in my first night there. Hotel was great and they gave me a free 6PM(!) checkout which is something I never got for free before.
After checking in, I had coffee with an old friend from previous trips and after that I wanted a massage. Arrived to Silom Plaza's Arena just to discover that they don't serve the dish that I'm after. And by that I refer to Asian muscle. By Vinapu and Andy's recommendations I took a motor taxi to Sabaideespa. 4 guys on display, one of them suits my needs, I think his name was Jack. For the first time, following Vinapus advice, I go for 90 mins. I got the whole 90 mins. Massage was fun, playful and that guy was with a very high conscious of giving good service. I left that place very happy.
What I failed to mention so far is that one of my main motivations to come to BKK was to meet someone from a past trip. In a previous trip report, I named him V (after his perfect V shaped torso) and we met at the White Party of 2018. This is a link to the over detailed full report of that trip, but in short, I'll say he is a fun guy to party with, we have a good connection, and his body makes me extremely weak at my knees. Some more background: after meeting in January 2018, we kept in touch online for about a year. Then he suddenly blocked me without explanation. Social media did show he had a boyfriend and I assumed that for some reason that is the reason he blocked me. Fast forward to mid-2021 after he and his BF broke up he texts me apologizing for his behavior with some explanations that sounded ridiculous to me but honestly, I did not care that much, I was happy that he contacted and waited for the right time to meet him again. I asked him to stay with me at nights and made sure he understands that during the days I'll be out without him and that he can do whatever he wants.
Back at the W after my massage I wait for V to finish his work and come to my hotel. We meet at the lobby. I'm not surprised to see that he looks exactly the same. He's a classic case of - I'm not sure what I want more, to look like him or to fuck him, but at least I got one of the two. After we make out in the room, and after some talking, he wanted to shower and it was the perfect timing for me to fulfill one of my fantasies.  One of the main reasons I chose to get a higher-class room was the tub. I imagined us in the tub together, him on me when I hug him from behind and soap his body. And that fantasy was exactly what happened. I was pleased that I accomplished to manifest an image I had in my mind, and after that we were both hungry and go to Soi 4’s Mexican restaurant to have a reasonable dinner. Although he offers to pay every taxi, restaurant or party we attend, I never let him. Money was never a part of the relationship between us but I know he struggles for his salary and for me paying on these expenses is easy and appreciated.
From dinner we head straight to GOD. Everything is similar as it was in 2018 - he is extremely fun and sexy to party with. On that Friday GOD was not full but had a nice amount of people. Music is awesome, smoking is thankfully but ridiculously still allowed. We dance exactly the same way we did four years ago. V is an attention seeker and he wants to dance shirtless, at the mezzanine of the club, where everyone sees him, and the guy touching him and holding him from behind, which was yours truly. That guy knows how to party and I love clubbing with him. At 1:20 AM the lights turn on. That's way earlier than it used to be, but V says I'm not allowed to complain and instead just be thankful that it reopened. V who is still high, wants to go to a private after party. I don't and promise him we will go tomorrow and that tonight I want him for myself.
We arrive at the room, then as it was in the past, we argue who is sex DJ tonight. V likes shitty circuit music and I like deep house. We have it my way that night and have a sex night. Our sex is in different rhythms each night, and tonight was softer and more passionate. We go to sleep exhausted and satisfied at about 5AM.
Time zone wise, I deliberately wanted to go to sleep each night somewhere between 4AM to 6AM so that on the one hand I stay at Israeli Time zone, and on the other hand we don't miss hotel breakfast  

When entering Israel, all passengers get tested in TLV airport upon arrival and must quarantine until they get their results. That is perfect time for me to start writing.
Intro – 8th trip report (and 8th visit) to my favorite city in the world. 37yo Israeli. Last trip was for the White Party of New Year’s Eve 2020 with my husband. I remember that before we flew to BKK on the end of Dec 2019, reports were starting to come about some virus in China. I couldn’t imagine back then that this virus will make me separate from BKK for such a long time. More than 2 years and 4 Pfizer vaccines later I booked this solo long weekend, to see if even after Covid changed a lot in the world, the BKK magic is still there. And it is still there 😊
Bureaucracy – Once I booked my first night directly (Grand Hyatt Erawan) and got the authorization I submitted all documents online and Thai pass was approved in less than 24 hours. Since this trip was exactly 5 days, I did not need a second PCR. And also, they now dropped the second test anyways. I found the whole procedure friendly and fast.
Flight – One of the unfortunate results of Covid is of course the chaos of booking flights. We used to have 3(!) TLV-BKK direct flights a day. Now we have once a week, and 3 times a week TLV-HKT (Phuket) -BKK. None of the direct options suited my very specific flight schedule requirements so I booked Turkish Airlines with an Istanbul connection (650 USD). This is a 14 hour journey with the main leg being over night which is exactly one of my firmest requirements of a flight to BKK. A couple of days before the flight, when the probability of me actually taking that flight was high, I found that business class fare declined dramatically so I upgraded (Additional 1600 USD). The TLV-IST leg in both directions was a full flight and the IST-BKK flight was half full in both directions. Flights were great, slept great and woke up refreshed. Suvarnabhumi was kind of empty and I was out in no time.
Hotel – Grand Hyatt Erawan (9400 THB test & go package with fast PCR) – Not my preferred location. Hotel lacks character but they did supply the only thing that I really wanted them to – a really fast PCR result. On my way to the hotel, we stopped by Medpark Hospital for a drive thru test – 16:18 was the swab time. At 17:41 the phone rang with the negative results. They did what they promised they would and that was great. They were also very generous with a 4PM checkout time to match my next hotel check in. Breakfast was OK.
After that I went for a stroll in Silom. Soi 4 seemed pleasantly crowded. Some places closed; others opened instead. All and all, I was surprised to see a lively scene, not far from the way it used to be. I enjoyed my walking thru the different streets and venues and waited for 22:30 for the show at Tawan to start. Tawan was a sad place that Thursday night. As some photos here show, it is forth of its original size – and the stage has almost no accessories or decorations. Actually, that night there was not even a show, just 4 guys going up and down the stage for an audience of 3 people. Guys on stage are not my type, some are off season, some are in no season, but as Vinapu said – it only takes one guy. And that guy was there – I think his name was Nut but I’m not sure. A Lean bodybuilder classic type. I didn’t want to leave Silom as I wanted to party later that night so it was coinvent that they offered a room. 2800 THB later (500 off, 300 room, 2K for the guy) and we were at their room which was descent enough for the muscle worship session I wanted. He supplied it to the max and I left there very happy for myself but sad for that establishment. I do think/hope that they will improve as more and more tourists come. After that went to DJ station, which was not full as it used to be but also not empty. Music there is still shit 😊. GOD was closed that night which disappointed me but I knew it would open for the weekend so I called it a night.
Will continue soon.

After almost 2.5 year absence I am back in Thailand. I arrived today. Test&Go scheme. I am not into writing trip reports so I won’t do that. But I would love to write down some things that I would have loved to have read before departure. 
The PCR test results wait time can be speed up to only a 1 to 2 hour wait time. I had my test and I asked the lady when will the results be ready? The answer: “tomorrow morning”. Then I asked what it would cost to speed it up. They said you can arrange with hotel. Back at hotel the hotel staff called the clinic and I think 1 hour later I had the result. Negative. Price for speeding it up: 3900 baht. This gave me one extra day of holiday because I really had written the Thursday off. Considered it a day of quarantine. 
Around 21.00 I went on a tour to Sunee and Boyztown to see what bars are open, what massage places and if it is busy or not. Here the results of this scientific research. 
Of the 3 parallel roads that make up Boyztown only one is alive. It is moderately busy. Not very busy. The boys are not my number 1 or 2 type to be honest. There is at 21.30 a live show on the street in Boyztown.  Of Sunee’s two parallel streets only one has some activity but very very modest. Maybe after 21.00 it gets more busy. I doubt that however. But the single street that is alive in Sunee is it only barely.  Then I also went to see what massages shops I normally visited in the Tukcom and Boyztown areas are still active. The massages places near Boyztown, along that big road where the baht bus goes, are about 50% closed. Maybe even more. Didn’t see any boys outside in the ones that were open. 
Tukcom has still massage places with boys. SomJit for example still exists. 
Jomtien is the most active. Massage is open. Bars is open. Good activity. Happy my hotel is there. 
 
(I have also accidentally posted this in a sub section of this forum.)

nothing to be proud of if true, shame on Russian people who seem to forget meaning of Jun 21, 1941

Midguy1 writes; "Seriously planning to retire much earlier (like early to mid 50s) to allow more travel time!"
I was lucky;  I received a generous pension at the age of fifty-two but even if it had been less so, my mind was made-up. And it was the best decision of my life.
That was more than twenty years ago. it improved my health, both mental and physical and it eventually resulted, nine years into retirement, in my meeting the one and only love of my life.  
Go for it!

After all these visits theres nothing like hearing those words then shortly after landing the smells, the heat, sometimes the humidity, the smiles, the hussle and bustle.  An assault on the senses.  It's magical.

After all these visits theres nothing like hearing those words then shortly after landing the smells, the heat, sometimes the humidity, the smiles, the hussle and bustle.  An assault on the senses.  It's magical.

I can relate to this! Seriously planning to retire much earlier (like early to mid 50s) to allow more travel time!

After all these visits theres nothing like hearing those words then shortly after landing the smells, the heat, sometimes the humidity, the smiles, the hussle and bustle.  An assault on the senses.  It's magical.

After all these visits theres nothing like hearing those words then shortly after landing the smells, the heat, sometimes the humidity, the smiles, the hussle and bustle.  An assault on the senses.  It's magical.

My first visit changed my life...it even resulted a couple of years later in my taking early retirement. And a pay-cut!
I hope your experiences are just as thrilling.

Bangkok
I booked the first flight to Bangkok at 8.35am, which means I had to leave the hotel really early at 6.00 am. Airport check-in and security for domestic flight was simple and fast. The Thaismile flight was full. Despite having been in Thailand for 7 days, stepping in Bangkok again felt surreal. 
I was back and settled in at Le Meridien by 11am. Hotel felt empty such that the front desk manager and cute concierge guy would greet me by name every time I stepped into the lobby. Partially regretting making an early 1pm appointment, I took a short rest before leaving by Grabcar. I somehow forgot about Bangkok traffic as I reached slightly late. My first appointment was at Home Spa, one of the few places along Suthisan road near Saphan Kwai BTS area. Over 2 years, I have amounted some places I follow on Line and Twitter that I would now be able to visit. I would say it is a local place, their posts and ads are all in Thai. When I messaged them in English, they replied quickly and I made my booking with little hassle. The shop was basic but spacious, comfortable and clean. When I entered, one guy greeted me and mentioned the guy I booked. He spoke little English but nothing pointing can’t solve. Payment was requested first before proceeding for the massage. Massage was slightly underwhelming, made up however entirely by his physical being.
I decided to walk the stretch of Suthisan road to the BTS since it was my first time in the area which took roughly 20 mins. I took a late lunch and then headed back to the hotel for a quick nap before my evening appointment. I was slightly nervous for my next appointment, it was with Myanmar boy. Before I flew to Thailand, I messaged to his last Wechat contact but he was no longer using it. I booked him through a massage shop so he does know it was me. As many have expressed, it is uncertain whether the chemistry and connection stood the test of time. At 5pm, I was awakened from my nap by a call from him, he called to confirm the appointment time. Near 7pm, another call to confirm my hotel as I went to grab coffee and wait for him. He came in a taxi as I greeted him, he seemed happy to see me. He looked slightly roughened up, as we headed back to the room. He had bruises which he claimed were from a motorbike accident after a drunken night out. He also stayed in hospital for one month because of covid and have not been working for three months since. He acknowledged the situation was not good but have started efforts to look for new work. For the massage place, he only submitted his pictures to the mamasan and works on-call basis. Chemistry and connection was still there, however not as strong as before. I was still glad I got to meet him. I tried to arrange a meetup for my last night but only got a reply after I left Thailand. He seemed to be doing a lot better in our follow-up messages, I may still look for him when I go back.
I skipped visiting the bars that night as I planned to have my pre-departure ATK test the next morning. Some random notes of my observation of Patpong area: Patpong 1 without the night market was dead, King’s Castle lady gogo still open and what looks like a new or relocated pool place with ladies. Newly refurbished Thaniya plaza looks nice but did not get a chance to visit.
The next night night I visited the ‘gogo’ bars in Patpong 2. Only 3 were open Freshboys, Dreamboys and Hotmale. Moonlight and Jupiter were also open from my knowledge but I did not visit this trip. Drink prices were the same 350-400-450 if I remembered correctly. All had a good number of boys ‘standing’. I went into Freshboys first and was the only customer. The fierce-looking mamasan now dressed down with a polo-tee and skirt greeted me. Was informed they still have a show at around 9.45pm. I got 2 boys to sit with me for a short while before heading to Hotmale. Hotmale had a few more customers inside and outside. Music blasted abit too loud and only one boy that caught my eye though most of them seemed more interested in looking at themselves through the mirror or the floor. I left shortly after for Dreamboys. Dreamboys also had two groups of customers with a reasonable number of boys. I stayed for the first act of the show at 10pm. It was Johnny and 2 other boys with the ‘gogo-coyote’ dance. I was mesmerised and impressed by the moves of one of the boys wearing the crown. Was this a return of gogo? Because Freshboys also had this gogo-coyote dance number in their show that I would watch the next day. I left that night with no offs.
On my last full day, I booked another afternoon session at Home spa. This time I decided to book a Grabbike which could weave through Bangkok traffic. This massage session could be the second highlight of my trip. He looked better in person than his photos. He started the massage with a towel on but would loose it not long after. I thought he still had underwear underneath, as with the previous guy but then I felt something brush my leg a couple of times before realising. His normal massage I would say is good but then he moved on to his special moves around the thigh and groin areas. He made sure I felt it as he added force and aggression to it. Honestly, I don’t think I have felt anything like that, at least not for some time. He spoke little English but we managed a short conversation after. A definite repeat for the next trip.
That night, I would return only to Freshboys. I had the same cute Cambodian boy who spoke little English sit with me again, this time with another one of his friend. I was the only customer again until the last segment of the show when a couple walked in. I found myself talking to the friend more but I knew I was going to off cute Cambodian boy. He was one of the dancers in the gogo dance segment where I was also impressed with. There were a total of 12-13 boys and I thought all of them were decent and at least smiled or made eye contact. It was my last night so I decided to tip all of them. Mamasan then convinced me to take the friend as well just for supper, which I agreed since I enjoyed talking to him. We went to a place just down the street. Again, I talked more to the friend as he was complaining that he received a message from his other boss that the casino along the borders were re-opening so he has to go back there to work. After the supper, I said goodbye to the friend as me and cute Cambodian boy headed back to my room. I enjoyed his physical companionship but his lack of English communication made it difficult for a deeper connection. He stayed the night and was a light sleeper so he woke up early when I got up. We exchanged contacts and said our goodbye.
It was a short but fulfilling comeback to Thailand. As I got on the plane, I left with two ‘Miss you’ on my phone this time.

I did my last morning jog on Patong beach, a total of 5km from one end to the other and back. There were a handful of other fellow early runners and also some who have not left from the night out. After breakfast, I got on my phone and made 2 appointments for Bangkok the next day. I only had 3 full days in Bangkok and did not want to waste them. I had a few short messages with BKK boy, however I did not confirm a meeting until much later in the day. There was radio silence as I await his confirmation. I spend most of the day running errands and packing. 
My hotel balcony sunset view where I spent most of my time.

BKK boy was finally back online just before 8pm. Conversation was quick and easy with him, he even dropped a call to talk as we confirmed to go to Paradise complex together. He said he will fetch me in 5 mins. I told him to take his time since I was still packing. He reached in 10 mins. I finished what I could, got ready quickly and met him on the beach road pavement at the front. It was a short straight road so I didn’t mind the 3p on a motorbike as he made sure to hug me tight from the back. We dropped off a distance away and took a short walk. We also walked pass a police roadblock stopping all motorbikes to check their license. I have seen this a few times during my stay.
Phuket Bars
I only went to Zag and Zig Bar’s show twice so I don’t have much info on the other bars. Zig and Zag share and occupy a huge outdoor seating area on both sides of the road. The other bars I saw open were Tangmo bar, the first shop on the street and G-club at the end on the street. I only noticed the Tangmo guys during my second visit. There were about 4-5 guys outside hustling passers-by to enter. Their profile and outlook reminded me of the ex-Viet waiters from Freshboys. I would’ve dropped by if I had another night. 
The first visit was a Wednesday night, not crowded, mainly couples and a few small groups. There were around 5 coyote dancers on the small stage before the show. They have 2 show times, 8.45pm which ends around 9.30pm followed by a short break before restarting at 9.45pm until closing time of 11pm. The show was only ladyboys lip-sync. I liked the outdoor seating area and the atmosphere. Drinks prices start from 80 baht. Waiters hustles you to take a seat, but does not disturb you after ordering the first drink.
The second visit with BKK boy was a Friday night. The place would be packed with a few large groups. He greeted and was greeted by a few of the waiters and workers, which I thought he looked like a regular here. I have not explained that I described him as BKK boy because he originates from Bangkok. He mentioned that he has been in Phuket for 7 years. Also, in our conversation that night, it turns out that a number of those years he worked at Zag, though I didn’t ask in what capacity. He said he still come to Zag regularly now to drink with his friends. I do not usually enjoy ladyboy lipsync shows, but I thoroughly enjoyed this night. Besides the company, I thought the performers and atmosphere was energetic and they interacted well with the audience. I thought BKK boy looked more like the tourist as he snapped pictures and videos to post on his WeChat moments. Two of his close friends, a waiter and a performer joined us and I bought them drinks. I complained to BKK boy that the show only had ladyboys. He replied there will be a boy show, pausing as I thought he was being serious, before cheekily continuing that it will be in my room. We stayed until closing time, having him beside me felt natural and comfortable. He made sure I was taken care and comfortable throughout the night. We walked to the main road where he asked me to wait as he went to borrow his manager’s motorbike to send me back. On the bike ride, he made sure I was hugging him tight. He asked me if I was really not hungry, I re-confirmed that I had dinner before realising he was not talking about food. In our earlier conversations, I told him I just wanted the night out since I have an early flight to catch. As we reached back to my room, he made sure I was fed before saying our goodbyes. It was a fitting end for my Phuket trip, and I found someone who would maybe bring me to Phuket more often.
 
 

I am glad to be back both in Thailand as well as in this forum. After I logged into my account, I re-read my last post from my last trip in February 2020. I had strong feelings then, when I left.
I did contact Myanmar boy after and promised to meet in April 2020. Of course, that didn’t happen and I did not contact him since.
Tl;dr I did meet him this trip but I am not sure I will see him again.
In fact, he was one of the main reason I went ahead with this short trip despite all the hoops to go through, uncertainties and risks. He appeared in the line-up for a massage shop I was following on LINE. He was still in Thailand, and I wanted a reunion, two years overdue.
Phuket Sandbox notes
I travelled under the Phuket Sandbox scheme during the suspension of Test&Go. My Thailand pass approval took 7 days (applied on Saturday, approved on Friday). Upon arrival at Phuket airport, immigration only checked 2 documents; Thailand pass and my pre-departure PCR test, which they took and kept the copy. This was the only time anyone in Thailand asked for my Thailand pass or cared about what scheme I was travelling on. Technically, I could leave and fly off anywhere else after Day 1, of course that would be illegal. After immigration and collection of baggage, PCR test station was outside conveniently next to the pick-up point. I did my PCR test at 6.30pm and the results was in my email inbox at midnight.
It was my first time in Phuket so I had to take extra time to research. Thanks to @Midguy1, his trip report was really helpful. I am not really a beach and sun person, so I was not sure how much I will enjoy spending 7 days here. I did. Being a morning person, I loved and missed my daily morning run-walk along the beach the most. I spent the evenings, when it cooled down, watching the sunset daily. Maybe it was the just the laid-back getaway atmosphere I needed. There were a lot of foreign travellers, but it was not overcrowded. I see a lot of Thais as well enjoying their time on the beach. I had most of my meals from the street carts along the beach, not the cheapest but the most convenient for me. As widely discussed, mask wearing were more lax here compared to Bangkok. Depending on your risk appetite, you had options to be away or be in the crowd.
Massages
I had an average of one massage per day. The massage shops are on one row of Royal Paradise Hotel street, while the bars were on another street around 50 metres away. I like to research using google street view, but it was not possible to view the row of massage shops since it is on a walking path and not a road. Very little footfall, but I do see one or two customers at the shops every time. One of the massage boys told me that it is busier at night after dinner and they close late after midnight.
There were about 4 shops open. I only remembered 4massage, as I saw it mentioned in a few sites during my research and it was also on google maps. The other shops' names were either not prominently displayed, written in Thai or I was just distracted by the boys sitting outside. 4massage had the most number of boys, at least 7 at one time. The rest had between 2 to 5 depending on the time of the day. I was pleasantly surprised at the number and choices available. I would say most, if not all were Thai. Prices for oil massage was 300-400 baht. Most did not have duration specified in the menu, or again maybe I was too distracted to notice. I will not go into details for each massage. Overall, massages were average but attention and services were great. Half of the guys specified their tip request which can be negotiated down. I do tend to tip more for those that don’t ask.
For the apps, it seemed to me the numbers were small, one or two pages covers everyone in Phuket. Most boys on the app works at a massage place. For those into ladyboys, there is definitely a higher concentration here on the apps and also working at massage places than anywhere else I’ve seen. 
It was on the apps I found BKK boy, the highlight of my trip. Based on location, I guessed he worked at a massage shop so I started the conversation immediately asking him that. He confirmed, sending a picture of the massage shop and the menu. I quickly negotiated and agreed to his offer for him to come over to my room. He said he will reach in 5 mins, however it was at least a 15 mins walk to the hotel from his shop. I thought it was ‘Thai time’ but turns out he asked for a ride from the shop manager. He was thinner in real life but still looks pleasantly good.  I requested to start with a massage, which he did, for a short while. First impressions a little on the aggressive side in bed to my liking, but I saw glimpses of his cheeky and caring side off bed as we had a short conversation after as he sneaked in a goodbye kiss with mask on. He has also mastered the art of texting by not being too pushy or overbearing. 
After he left, I knew I wanted to see him again. I kept my options open with a ‘maybe’ we can watch the show at Zag-Zig bar the next night which we talked about. The next day was my last full day. 

A photo from our last walk on Ao Nang beach, the evening before leaving the south

 
I had to make a new flight booking for us to return to Bangkok.  We had missed our return flight due to the quarantine period.  Since Thai Airways ignored my request to change our booking, I decided to give my money to a different airline for the return flight.  I purchased one way tickets to Bangkok for us on Nok Air.  

Phang Nga bay from the air, just after takeoff from Phuket:

 
On final approach into Bangkok, the plane flew over the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, where it snakes its way into the Gulf of Thailand

 
Nok Air uses the old Don Mueang airport.  The airport still looks much the same as it did years ago, with some renovations.  Even though it's a much smaller airport than Suvarnabhumi, they still somehow managed to park the plane at a gate that required about a kilometer of walking through the terminal to reach the baggage claim hall.

 
In Bangkok, we checked in to the same room we previously had three weeks earlier at the Furama Sathorn.  The next day was Chinese New Year, February 1st.  I had no plans, and that afternoon asked N what he wanted to do tomorrow.  I was pleased that he didn't give me that old Thai standby answer, "up to you".  I decided to go along with whatever he wanted to do for the next couple days after returning to Bangkok.  He made a phone call, and told me we were going on a road trip the next day.

What a nice experience he planned for us.  That morning, I found myself in a very nice new Honda van with some of N's friends and two Buddhist monks in saffron robes, on a road trip to Ayutthaya.  The van belonged to one his his friends, who drove.  
The plan for the day was visiting two large temples in the historic district of the former capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.  For the first part of the trip, N and I sat together in the second row of seats in the van.  When the two monks joined us along the way, I switched to riding shotgun in the front, the two monks sat in the second row, and N and a friend sat in the third row.
As we drove through heavy Ayutthaya traffic due to the holiday, songs from the Eagles and Aerosmith were pumping from the stereo.  I just went along for the ride, carefree and taking it all in, as it was N's chance to entertain me for the day.  I had no plans or agenda, and it was kind of amusing to watch N having fun, and acting as the guide, as the day he had planned for us played out.  Some of the best and most interesting experiences when you travel happen when you relax, and don't ask too many questions, or as the Thais say "don't think too much".    
In Ayutthaya, for a couple kilometers, there were vendors lining the main street that leads to the historic temple district.  The vendors all sell the same thing - huge bags of air puffed and brightly colored fish food, and small live fish in plastic bags.  The live fish are sold for release in the temple ponds, for merit making. 
This was the first time I've seen these huge bags of brightly colored fish food for sale anywhere in Thailand.  I have seen containers of small fish food pellets, and bags of day-old bread for sale near many other wats around Thailand, but not these giant sized bags of vividly colored fish food.  Apparently these Cheetos-looking fish snacks are something unique to Ayutthaya. 
Not to miss out on any potential customers, this vendor also had bags of day-old bread, and bags filled with fish food pellets for sale.  They can be seen in the lower right portion of the photo.

 
The first temple we went to was a Buddhist temple with a heavy Chinese influence.  There was a huge gold Buddha statue inside the main building.  The place was packed with people due to the Chinese New Year holiday.



 

 

 
I'm not sure what this man is doing, but he's holding an open bottle of Big C brand cooking oil in one hand and a white lotus bud in the other hand.  Of course the lotus bud is commonly found in temples, used in prayer rituals, but the cooking oil?

 
The tuk tuks in Ayutthaya are a different type than the Bangkok style.  They are kind of a mini songtaew, with two bench seats in the back, running along the sides.  In the front, there is a steering wheel, not handlebars.  Also, the front cab has doors, with roll-up windows.  They remind me of the three wheeled vehicles that were still in use in rural Japan until the 1980's.  This red model is kind of sporty, complete with a set of vintage mag wheels.


 
The second temple we visited had a huge ancient chedi,  There was a very steep staircase, where you could climb up into the inside of the chedi.  Once up in the chedi, we looked down through an iron grate to see two monks far down inside the base of the chedi, sitting and counting large piles of coins.  In the center of the photo, the staircase is visible, with people climbing up into the chedi.  


 
We had a fun day trip, and it was good to see Ayutthaya once again, after many years.
The following day N insisted we take a tuk tuk ride in Bangkok.  I hadn't been in a Bangkok tuk tuk in more than 30 years, but I did not want to deny him his fun.  It was my last full day in Thailand, and rather than resist, I decided not to "think too much".  
Of course, N chose a tuk tuk that made a mandatory stop at an Indian tailor shop on the way, one of the most common tourist scams in Bangkok.  The way it works is that if the tuk tuk driver delivers potential customers to a certain prearranged shop, for each visit, they receive a stamp.  After filling a card with 10 stamps from the shop, the driver receives 4 liters of free fuel from the shop.  Usually these shops are either jewelry stores or tailor shops.  So we spent 5 minutes inside, looking at bolts of cloth that could be made into clothing.  I had no intention of buying anything, and in 5 minutes, we were back on our way.
Our tuk tuk as it entered Silom Road, with Saladaeng Road on the left.

 
Looking back on my quarantine experience, as it worked out, it was really not as bad of an experience as it could have been.  I can think of many worse places to be than being sequestered in a hotel room with a hot Thai boy for 8 nights of mandated quarantine.
I could have just as easily have caught covid at home, and not in Thailand as I did.  But then I would have been in isolation by myself, instead of with N.
Luckily, I had enough time in Thailand, and the quarantine happened early enough in our trip that with some strategic juggling of our schedule, we were able to travel everywhere we had planned to, with one exception.  The only planned location we had to cancel on this trip due to the time spent in quarantine was a few days in Pattaya.  But Pattaya will still be there waiting for my next trip.  
 
One benefit of this quarantine escapade is that I didn't need to spend time in Bangkok during my last full day in Thailand to get a covid test to enter the USA.  Under the revised US CDC rules, if you can show a positive covid test result within the past 90 days, and have a medical certificate clearing you for travel, no test is required to enter the US.  Upon showing these medical papers at Suvarnabhumi, there was no issue checking in for my flight without a covid test.  
In case you are interested to know what the quarantine expenses were, I paid 30,500 baht for N to stay in the hospitel with me.  I exchanged money only once, at the beginning of my trip in Bangkok, enough to cover the entire trip.  I then deposited this money in my K-bank account, so I could withdraw it at ATM's.  Using the exchange rate at the time I bought my stack of baht, N's quarantine equated to about 910 US dollars.  This amount covered both his hotel fee and the hospital charges, and included N's ambulance ride.  The hotel and hospital fees were billed separately.  
My hotel fee and hospital charges came to 41,500 baht for the 8 nights, and there was no fee for an ambulance ride, as I drove myself to the hospitel.  This difference in pricing is because of dual pricing for Thai citizens and farang tourists.  And this was with my second PCR test being paid for by the Thai government under the amended rules for the 7 night Test & Go program.  
I have read that some people have been charged far more than this amount to be quarantined in other parts of the country.  It probably helped that we were not near any cities.  Khao Lak is not heavily developed, and is very lightly populated.  I'm guessing in Bangkok or other large cities, the charges may have been substantially more.  It also helped that we only needed to quarantine for 8 nights each, not the 10 days they originally told us we would be staying.
 
Several times during our month together, N told me that he really liked to be able to get away from Bangkok.  He said he enjoyed being in quiet locations with not so many people, like the bungalow resort where we stayed for a few days.  I surely hope to see N the next time I travel to Thailand, and I made that clear to him.  He has sent me messages already since I left, telling me he wants to travel with me again next time.
Another evening view from the 12th floor balcony of our room at the Furama Sathorn, my last night in Thailand.

 
With the way the world has dramatically changed in the last couple years, I just hope that it won't be much longer until many more people will travel to Thailand, and bring the tourist income that that is so much needed by many people and businesses there.  
Even though we had to be quarantined, I had a really nice time in Thailand.  Would I go again under the same circumstances?  You bet I would.  It sure beats sitting at home looking out the window, and waiting for who knows how long for the pandemic and travel restrictions to come to an end.   I've already started thinking about where I want to travel on my next trip to Thailand.   
I am counting the days until my next flight to Thailand, when I hear those electrifying words on the loudspeaker,  "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking.  In a few minutes, we will be landing in Bangkok".  
Until that magical moment arrives, I will continue to be the daydreamer.    
 
 

I'm enjoying reading about your trip, thank you for posting.  I'm sorry to hear of the bureaucratic problems you've been encountering, but I hope that is offset by the enjoyment you're having.  The photos are brilliant.

I'm enjoying reading about your trip, thank you for posting.  I'm sorry to hear of the bureaucratic problems you've been encountering, but I hope that is offset by the enjoyment you're having.  The photos are brilliant.

Thanks; every photo is  beautiful and evocative, particularly on this cold London morning. Even photo of the  menu; I've chosen today's breakfast, lunch and dinner!
I'm sorry to read about the problems with your test. It's hard to see what else you could have done but, on consideration, I suppose it shouldn't be that surprising....TIT. 
Please keep reporting and sending those photographs. They brighten-up my day.
 

Up to this point, I had followed the health regulations of Thailand under the covid rules.  I downloaded the Morchana app before arriving in Bangkok, wore a mask, used hand sanitizer, scanned my temperature upon entering businesses, etc.  But it all started to fall apart on my 7th day.  This was the day I had planned to get the required second PCR test under the one day Test & Go entry program.   I had checked the Ministry of Public Health web site to access the list of approved labs for PCR tests in Phuket.  Of course this being Thailand, the list was outdated, or at least the list in English was.  I chose a private clinic in Patong from the MOPH list.  
I took my paperwork, and drove to the clinic.  There were no customers when I arrived.  The receptionist/nurse went in the back to show the doctor my papers.  He flat out refused to test me.  The nurse told me to go to Patong Hospital (not on the MOPH list).  
So I then drive to Patong Hospital, and after sitting in the waiting area for my number to be called, a nurse at a desk in the lobby told me they would do the test, but I needed a letter from my hotel.  So back to the hotel I went, and asked about a letter at the front desk.  "Not our hotel, you get letter from your Bangkok hotel".  
I asked the receptionist to please call The Quarter Silom Hotel, where I had spent my first few hours in Thailand.  I figured she would get further than I could on the phone, as she seemed to understand my plight.  Of course, the Quarter Silom refused to issue me a letter.  The Quarter Silom insisted that the pink paper given each passenger arriving at the airport was all that was needed to obtain permission to receive the second (free) PCR test, and to receive payment from the Health Ministry in Bangkok for the cost of the second PCR test.  
So back to Patong Hospital we went in the car.  By now, the hospital lobby was packed with people awaiting assistance.  This second attempt at Patong Hospital was as useless as the first visit.  After sitting in waiting area once again for my number to be called , again they refused to help, still insisting on a letter from the hotel.  The Quarter Silom was correct, as I found out the following day in Khao Lak.   Since the private clinic and the Patong Hospital were uncooperative, I was fast running out of options and time that I was willing to invest in this fruitless pursuit.
At this point, after spending nearly the entire morning running back and forth and getting nowhere, I said fuck it all, and just decided to chill.  If two approved medical facilities were unwilling to help after my repeated attempts, I decided I had done about all I could to comply with the arcane rules of the Kingdom, at least for today.  I wasn't trying to flaunt the rules, but I think many others would also have given up by this point in the day.
Since the morning had been wasted trying to get a PCR test, after lunch we purchased ATK tests at a pharmacy.  I had totally given up on the Thai red tape to obtain a second PCR test until we left Phuket the next morning.  I thought both of us taking ATK tests was the next best thing.  N's test was negative.  My sealed test packet from the pharmacy had no liquid in the vial, not one drop, so it was useless.  That was 150 baht wasted.  The box said the test was made for a German company, but in small print, it said "Made in China".  Typical of shoddy Chinese manufacturing and quality control.  We went to a 7-Eleven and bought a different brand of ATK test for me to test with.  My new test result using the 7-Eleven kit was also negative, the same as N's.
That evening, we went to Soi Bangla one more time after dinner, and walked on the beach for a while, before winding up back on the balcony at the hotel for drinks and some moo ping.  The following morning, we would be driving about 2 hours north from Phuket to a reserved beach side bungalow in Khao Lak, in Phang Nga province. 
 
This is Saphan Sarasin, the bridge that connects Phuket island to the mainland of Phang Nga province.  When driving into Phuket from the mainland, all vehicles must pass through a military police checkpoint.  The MP's wanted to see my passport and driver's license both times upon entering Phuket province by car.  

 
Since the bridge is not very long, there is also a nice foot and bicycle pathway to cross the channel

 

 
This narrow channel of water is all that separates Phuket island from the mainland.

 
There are many food vendors and a waterfront restaurant at the southern end of the bridge

 
After crossing the bridge, you are in Phang Nga province

 
On the way to Khao Lak from Phuket, we took a detour to the Samet Nangshe Lookout.  It's located on a mountaintop, with a gorgeous view out over Phang Nga bay.  Much of this area of Thailand features limestone karst formations that are covered in rainforest vegetation.  Similar to Guilin in China, or Halong Bay in Viet Nam.  And the unique karst formations are not only in the sea, they are spread throughout this region on the land as well.
The road to the top of the lookout is a heavily rutted and extremely steep dirt road.  Since the lookout is on private land, everyone is charged a small admission price.  You have two options, either walk to the top of the mountain for 20 baht, or ride in a 4 wheel drive songtaew for 80 baht each.  I didn't see anyone walking to the top.  In just a few minutes, the songtaew filled with passengers, and we were off.  It's the only time I have ever ridden in a 4 wheel drive songtaew with big off-road tires.  The ride requires you to hold on tightly, as the truck bucks and heaves over the potholed and heavily rutted steep road surface while slowly making its way up the rough hewn path to the summit.  Before arriving at the lookout, I had envisioned driving the rental car up the mountain, but there's no way a car could manage to traverse the road to the top.  4 wheel drive truck, or by foot were the only options.
 
Samet Nangshe Lookout, high above Phang Nga Bay:


 
The bungalow resort was located on one of the best beaches in Khao Lak. 

 
The sand at White Sand Beach was soft like powdered sugar.  The water was very warm, and perfectly clean. 

And plenty of natural shade to escape the heat...

 
There was room to park the car right in front of the bungalow - just make sure you don't park beneath a coconut palm tree. Falling coconuts can really put a dent in your ride. 

 
There are several bungalow resorts located adjacent to each other.  They all offer beach front dining.  Unlike Phuket, the food and beverage prices are very reasonable.  The food was very good.  Everything we ordered was tasty.  Our first night at the small resort, a man from Germany saw us headed to eat dinner at the beachfront.  He stopped us to tell us how much he enjoyed eating here, saying the food was excellent. 

 
There are attractive beachfront dining areas at the resorts



 
to be continued...
 

Thanks so much; the report and the photographs brought back many memories.
Phuket isn't one of our favourite parts of Thailand- Patong in particular-  but it looked (and sounded) wonderful. How I miss Thailand!
P and I were there when the Buddha was being built; he bought a tile (for want of abetter word) , wrote his name on it and it was used as some sort of cladding. It was a spiritual experience for him; I stood well away as he said a long prayer. I noticed other Thai visitors observing him with respect.
I was touched.
I  look forward to the next instalment.

The next day after breakfast at the Furama, we went to the MBK Mall to buy a few clothes for N for the trip.  There was nearly no clothing for young men at MBK, as many of the shops appeared to be permanently closed.  It looked like less than 50% of shops were open.  Two years ago, all the shops in MBK were open and it was very busy with customers.  I suggested we go to Pratunam market the following day.  N liked that idea.
There was no shortage of selection at Pratunam, with hundreds of small stalls and shops open for business.  The open air market at Pratunam turned out to be the perfect place for N to buy everything he needed for the trip to the south, a few nice looking T-shirts for 80 baht each, a nice button up shirt for 250, shorts at 120 each, and a pair of knock off Nike shoes for 350 baht.  N seems to be very aware of prices, and he is careful in spending my money, and he looks for the bargains.  A few pair of stylish underwear and socks from a Silom open air market, and he was set for the two week trip.  
Everything a Thai boy wears seems to look great on them, regardless of the price paid for the clothing.  BTW, I just stood in the shops as his personal ATM, without providing any input on his choices for clothing, unless he asked for my opinion.  After buying 2 pair of socks for 100 baht in a market area, he later spied 4 similar pair for 100 baht on the sidewalk in Silom, and he was dismayed that he had spent more per pair for his recent purchase, even though he wasn't spending his own money.  He even mentioned later that he overpaid for his socks.  Also, I had bought a nice backpack, and a pair of sunglasses for him at home before I left on my trip, and carried them to Bangkok to give to N.  
We flew Thai Smile to Phuket,a subsidiary of Thai Airways.  The airline staff wanted to see our vaccination records and my Thailand Pass at the check in counter at Suvarnabhumi Airport.  The Boeing 737 was about 35% full going to Phuket.  Even though I had booked two seats for us together, at check in, there were enough empty seats that they gave us each a window seat in two adjoining empty rows.
 
Takeoff from Suvarnabhumi:

 
We flew over Phang Na Bay a couple minutes before final approach to Phuket.  The unusual karst mountains appear to be melting into the sea.

 
Upon final approach into Phuket, the plane flew over Khao Lak, with it's endless miles of unspoiled beaches.  The water is so clear, you can see coral reefs below the surface.  As you can see below, Khao Lak is still very undeveloped.  There are many small resorts, but they are mostly tucked under the tree cover.  No tall concrete buildings, and no condo towers.  Let's hope it stays that way.


 
Upon arrival in Phuket, I picked up the pre-booked rental car at the domestic arrivals hall, and we headed for Patong.  I had reserved a Toyota Vios sedan, a perfect sized car for the trip.  By the end of  three weeks in the south, I clocked about 2,000 kilometers of driving the car to the many different spots we visited.  We traveled to parts of four provinces in all;  Phuket, Phang Na, Krabi, and Surat Thani provinces.
I had bought an inexpensive smart phone windshield suction cup holder to use for driving navigation before leaving home.  That and a cigarette lighter socket USB plug I brought with me were invaluable in providing GPS navigation in English for free to navigate through the four southern provinces in the rental car. I used the HereWeGo phone app, and downloaded the free maps for south Thailand.  For a free app, it's about as good as you can get for Thailand.  I toyed with a couple other navigation apps while still in Bangkok, but I liked HereWeGo the best.  A British lady's soothing voice gives the directions.
There was a USB port on the stereo, but I used that for a USB stick that I had loaded with many hours of current music for the road trips we had planned.  N liked the western music I had brought on the USB stick.  One huge benefit of the music I brought was it caused him to turn the volume off on his phone at all times while in the car.  That way we both had something enjoyable to listen to, and while driving, I was saved from hearing his various phone feeds. 
We were surprised at the large number of farang wandering around Phuket without masks upon arrival in Patong.  I read in the Bangkok Post on January 20th that the governor of Phuket had finally decided to crack down on the many mask violators with two fines of 20K + 40k, and plans to have the police arrest the unmasked, to set examples.  I don't know if he followed through with this, or if he was only blowing hot air.
We stayed three nights at the Phusita House 3 Hotel in Patong Beach.  The small hotel is fairly new, and very clean, with SHA certification.  It's located very near the Paradise area which is the hub of gay activity in Patong.  They offered free parking for the rental car.  Patong is very congested, similar to Pattaya, and parking can be an issue at some of the hotels close to the Paradise complex.
We drove to the southern part of Phuket to see the Big Buddha.  It sits on a mountaintop, with a superb view out over the southern part of the island of Phuket.  The huge statue is made of concrete, and is entirely covered with small white marble tiles.  The inside is hollow, and visitors are welcome to walk inside and view different displayed items.  
There are not many sightseeing attractions on Phuket, so the big Buddha is one of the more heavily visited points of interest on the island.  Most tourists to Phuket come for the beaches and/or the nightlife.  The adjoining provinces of Phang Na and Krabi offer loads of things to see and do, however.  The Phi Phi islands are a very popular day trip amongst Phuket visitors, but Phi Phi is actually located in Krabi province, it is not part of Phuket.
 



 
Soi Bangla is the main nighttime entertainment street in Phuket.  It is located in Patong Beach, and is similar to Walking Street in Pattaya.  Soi Bangla was filled to the rafters with people occupying every bar stool, and spilling out onto the surrounding sois.  While the bars in Bangkok were closed at this time, bars in Phuket were allowed to open until 9 PM daily.  And none of that facade of having to sell food to camouflage as restaurants.  These bars and clubs were jam packed with customers, and were operating as real bars, not pseudo restaurants.  
We walked the length of Soi Bangla two nights, and at 9 PM each night, police vehicles with red lights flashing started crawling forward from one end of the street to the other end to ensure the bars stopped selling alcohol, and turned the loud music off.  Customers were allowed to stay in the bars, to finish their drinks.  I would estimate there were at least 4,000 - 5,000 customers in the myriad of open air bars and clubs in Soi Bangla and connecting sois every night that we were in Phuket.
 
This is Karon Beach, the next beach a couple miles south of Patong Beach, on Phuket:

 
Somehow, on day 6 in the country, the Morchana app on my phone changed from orange "medium risk" to green "very low risk".  This was before the second required PCR test that was supposed to be administered on my 7th day.  WTF??  How is this possible?  
Our second evening in Patong, we went to the Paradise Complex, and watched an outdoor ladyboy show in front of the Zig and Zag bars.  I don't really enjoy these shows, but N wanted to see it.  Kudos to the ladyboys for a show well done.  Everything went smoothly until a boy performer poured a full bottle of kerosene in a large circle on the cobblestone plaza, and then repeatedly attempted, but failed to ignite the fuel.  That left the odor of petrol fumes as the fuel slowly evaporated throughout the duration of the show.  
The seating at the show was outdoors, with only a couple feet between tables.  No one was wearing masks except for the bar staff.   The outdoor seating arrangement was similar to the outdoor seating plan at the Soi 4 restaurants (bars) in Bangkok.
 
 

I just returned from a one month holiday trip to Thailand.  Since there are very low numbers of international tourists in Thailand at this time, I decided to focus my travel on some of the very popular southern areas on the Andaman Sea.  These regions are usually overrun with sun seekers and are heavily crowded in the high season, so I thought this would be a good time to take advantage of lower hotel costs, and of not being swarmed with tourists and day trippers from the nearby resort areas.   
The last time I was in Thailand before this was in Jan/Feb 2020, just two years ago.  It was on this trip that I met N.  For nearly two years since that last trip, I had been planning to see N again on my next trip.  In the interest of anonymity, I will refer to my friend as N in this report, by initial only.  Because I did not see other boys during this most recent trip, this report mostly covers our travels together.  Sorry, but no details of boy bars and massage shops, as I did not visit any.
For this current trip, I intended to see only this boy for the entire month in Thailand.  He pushes all my buttons, and I said why not?  This is the first time I have had only one boy stay with me for my entire holiday.
Although I didn't spread my baht amongst many boys as is usual for me on my trips, I surely made a very large difference to this one boy's finances.  I did tip generously in hotels, taxis, etc in most cases, but the only tips given to a boy was to N.
As luck would have it, the Bangkok bars were ordered closed again before I arrived in Thailand in early January.  With the ever-changing rules, and opening times teetering back and forth, I hadn't planned to be bar hopping on this trip anyway, so I didn't really miss making my usual rounds of the nighttime haunts and go go bars.  
I had applied for the Thailand Pass in December 2021, and I entered through the airport with no issues.  I won't bore you with the details, as the entry process, paperwork requirements, the blue chairs at Suvarnabhumi, etc have already been reported in this forum by other members.   I entered the country under the original 7 day Thailand Pass program, but with the amended version requiring two PCR tests, one upon arrival, and a second test on the 7th day.  Under the amended rules, the second PCR test was to be paid for by the Thai government.
N had taken two ATK tests 3 weeks apart before my arrival, and sent me emailed photos of them, so I felt confident that he was being safe, and taking the required precautions to avoid the virus.
Upon arrival, and before exiting the baggage claim area to face the gauntlet of awaiting private car drivers at the airport, I purchased a DTAC Sim card in the baggage claim hall, right after passing through immigration.  To answer a previous question from a board member, I did see a True Sim card kiosk in the baggage claim hall as well.  I didn't see an AIS kiosk, but I wasn't looking for them.  Surely they would have a presence there too, as they are a major telecom player in the Thai marketplace.
Insurance - I bought a 100k USD policy from a US company before the trip.  I know only 50k was required, but I wanted the higher limit, and the price difference was minimal.  The policy I chose was also a "cancel for any reason" policy.  I'm usually not inclined to purchase travel insurance, as my health insurance plan covers me overseas anyway.  But since the Test & Go program required it, I opted for a decent US based plan.  I considered the options, and figured that it would also cover any pre-paid hotels and or flights I might have to cancel if testing positive for covid during my travels.  
I compared insurance policies on Squaremouth.com before deciding on which one to buy.  The policy I chose gives me 90 days after an event to submit a claim.  I thought this would allow me plenty of time to sort it all out at home, if it came to submitting a claim.
My Test & Go hotel was The Quarter Silom.  The driver took me in a private car to Paolo Hospital in Saphan Kwai, where a nurse came out to the car for the obligatory swabs, then off to Silom.  The time at the hospital was about 7-8 minutes.
The Quarter Silom is in a very good location on Soi Tarntawan, nestled in between Silom and Suriwong Roads.  It is a new hotel, and very clean.  It is not a place I would normally stay due to the small rooms, but they offered a 6 hour PCR test window package for a very low price, along with a private car from the airport, and breakfast was included.  The fact that the only meal in the Test & Go package was breakfast gave me confidence that they intended to usher me out of the room before noon the following day.  
Upon checking in about 1 AM, the boy at the front desk asked if I needed anything else, and I jokingly said "Yes, I'd like two cold Singha beers, but I know you won't allow me any alcohol per the Test & Go regulations."   I only wanted a shower and about an hour to wind down before a long awaited sleep after crossing through 12 time zones, on three flights to reach Bangkok.  The boy at the hotel reception  replied "the bar is closed, but just take what you want from the bar refrigerator, and we'll charge you in the morning when you check out".   I got my nightcap of two cold Singha beers from the bar fridge.  Amazing Thailand!!
The next morning after breakfast was delivered to the room, I called reception, and they confirmed that my test was negative, as I expected.  N had already emailed me.  I sent him an SMS, and he was in my arms less than 45 minutes later.
My plan was not to look for luxury in a Test & Go hotel, but for a fast PCR test turnaround time, and to be on my way after a few hours of shut eye.   The Quarter Silom was very close to my next hotel, so the taxi the next morning was only about 60 baht.  Upon check out, a Quarter Silom hotel employee introduced me to the Bolt car and motorbike taxi app.  He called a Bolt car for us to move to the next hotel.  Bolt is similar to Uber, with some very attractive prices.  A Bolt car for us in some cases in Bangkok was no more expensive than skytrain tickets for the two of us would have cost, to cover the same distance.  I believe Bolt is subsidizing their shorter rides to generate business, since it's a fairly new service.  I suspect prices may go up in the future, once they have established a solid customer base.
The total price for The Quarter test & go package was 3,899 baht inclusive of the room, a 6 hour PCR test, a private car from the airport, and breakfast.  I booked the package through Agoda.
I checked out, and into the Furama Sathorn, into an executive suite.  Very large quarters, and a beautiful view of the Bangkok skyline, especially at night, from the 12th floor room.  I only book rooms with balconies, as I enjoy sitting in the open air in the morning for a bit after I wake up.  We sat on the balcony a couple evenings as well.  Only staying in rooms with balconies eliminates a large percentage of available hotels for me to choose from, but I don't like being trapped inside, behind glass windows.  
The breakfast buffet at the Furama was included in the room price.  The food was a mix of Thai and western fare, changing each day.  Clear plastic food service gloves were provided for guests for touching the spoons, tongs, and opening the food warmer bin lids at the buffet tables.  As with masks, many customers ignored the hotel request to wear the disposable gloves when filling their plates with food.
Much as I like Bangkok, a few days on both ends of my trip is usually enough for me.  To me, the big city is not a beautiful place for a holiday.  I like to visit a different area of the country on each trip.  N and I stayed at the Sathorn Furama for four nights before flying south.  
Here is the view of the city skyline from the balcony of the Furama.  A perfect view of the Maha Nakhon building.  If you look closely, you can see a number of people out on the glass platform at the top of the skyscraper in one photo.
 




 
To be continued...

I have no idea why they cannot take cards. Someone else I know is currently also sending a friend to pay.
The room was large and quiet. Plenty of free water and toilet rolls etc. Bed comfy.

Pavilion Hotel just beside Fresh Boys and opposite of Dreamboys has short time rooms for 500. I was offered that option when offing twink from Dreamboys in Dec but politely declined preferring my own room in Quarter.
Furama Silom may have  cheap regular rooms worth the walk . I used one for 550 as short time on my first night in Bkk as I did not want to drag my Jupiter  guy to my quarantine hotel. Breakfast was even included but we did not utilize it .