Marc308

Unfortunately this is more often than not my feeling as well. In fact, during my recent two-month stay I didn't venture once inside a go-go bar. I used to like going to A-Bomb but it the environment there sadly just became more and more laconic and lethargic. I didn't even feel motivated to stick my nose in the door this time.

PM Lee Kwan Yew was not the fuzziest of politicians but he sure did seem to know how to build a safe, prosperous state from almost nothing. In the process he did trample on a lot of civil rights, no doubt about that.

Jason, Lucky for you that you live close to Thailand so you can make so many trips "up north"! And congrats on finding a loving soulful relationship there. That's great!

very interesting indeed! it is striking how DeepSeek seems to make strong inferences from a bunch of largely unrelated threads which jason has posted. It is interesting to note that this forum has become fodder for DeepSeek's Machine Learning web collector.

I was in Sunee about a week ago and it was a depressing sight, a figment of its once bustling delights. Ditto, by the way, for the legendary Boystown (yes, with an "S") which was also mostly dark, deserted and haunted. Visit these two former erogenous zones only if you are interested in ancient history.

There is nothing that can match or replace Babylon, at either site. Nothing in my experience comes even close. Babylon was unique in Thailand, in Asia and perhaps unique in the world. A true wonder of the gay world. It was at the same time an upscale bar, eatery and pool with all the down-n-dirty accoutrements of a gay sauna.

Yes I'd like to hear an explanation as well. In most cultures even very modest attempts to speak the national language are considered respectful and appropriate. In the US, and in most English-speaking countries, it is considered a little insulting if a long-stay "guest" doesn't make some even feeble attempts to speak English, no?

You got that right! 5Pm is closer to my deadline than 5Am, for sure! Ah how advanced age dampens early morning urges.

This raft of new(ish) massage places (including Jey Spa, Klover, History, Senso, Prime, ...) are becoming quite imbedded in gay culture in Bangkok it seems. Overall from what I have seen the "talent" has gone way up, although I must say that doesn't necessarily mean "massage" prowess, which seems to be more and more an afterthought at these places. The prices are high but, as the messages above also attest, seem to be worth the expenditure. I can confirm that as well from my experience. I haven't left disappointed so far. Of course the day will cum I"m sure... The other side of the coin are the shops in Saphan Kwai which are decidedly cheaper (total expenditure maybe 60% of the HiSo ones). But you can get a good bang for your buck.

You are right OD, the term "MB" seems to be a rather new euphemism. These days the apps make it easier to spot MBs from "non-MBs", thank goodness. I have to admit more than once assuming an app profile was a MB when I then had to sheepishly apologize to him for making that assumption. Now it seems the lines are more clear cut.

Well massage appointments do bear some resemblance to a colonoscopy, no? and cum to think about it, they bear some resemblance to the dentist too! In fact I once did fly halfway around the globe to go to the (old) A-Bomb and when arriving I found only 3 "veteran" boys there. Give me appointments anytime over that hit-n-miss experience. I've had very good results in the past few weeks at Jey Spa and 15M in Bangkok. Quality of service at both establishments exceeded expectations. The first a little pricey but decadent and refined. The second much more barebones where the service is the star.

Speaking of the apps, I've noticed more and more straight or married or "discreet" guys on the apps these days (compared to a year ago when I was last here). Some are deep in the closet. More Middle Eastern guys also who want to play. More Indians too. Bangladeshis and way more Africans (many from Madagascar) than ever before. Fewer and fewer Thai guys, the ones who remain are almost exclusively from rural Isaan. Definitely more Myanmar guys too. In summary, interestingly, the scene today looks more like the United Nations than a map of Thailand.

Those off-fees are ridiculous. I'd rather my money go to the working boys not to the mafia and BIBs. I walked by BT two evenings ago and BT Soi 3 (BBB's soi) was dark, the big sign at the entrance to the soi was off, and I could see very little if any activity. There is NO reason I would step foot in that soi (sorry Vinapu, chacun á son goût!) but this is the past of Pattaya certainly not its future. It's future will be appointed massages, the apps and, as always, sweet unexpected chance meeting serendipity.

Christian is right. There are some gems hidden waiting for you to discover. But using the apps can be a real pain in the ... with their incessant and inconvenient breaks in conversation and their repetition. Of course they are hoping you'll break down and pay for the paid option, but some of them (e.g. Grindr) has completely outragenous prices.

There is a solution. It is called rub-a-dub-dub with lots of shampoo, soap and then mouthwash and deodorant. And do remember, it is the Thais that often remark about us smelly falang who can't seem to keep from sweating and smelling. For me my biggest complaint is with smokers. The smoke permeates their hair, their clothes, and no matter how much mouthwash they use I can still smell it on their breath. As for Indians' availability, I see more and more South Asian profiles on the apps -- with Bengalis seeming to be the biggest contingent at the moment. Hooray1