TotallyOz

Violent crime in Pattaya has gone up it seems and you read more and more about the things that happen in this illustrious city by the sea. On a recent trip there, I had dinner with a friend. He said he had just gone to the Big C and Western Union store to send some money to his family and he walked outside and was held up by gunpoint. A gun was pointed into his face and the holder was a teenager he said. While my friend is Farang and not too old to protect himself, he said with a gun aimed at you, you have little choice but to give them what they want. That was money and he emptied out his pockets for the guy. He did not go to the police and the crime was unreported. But, it is scary to see that these things happen here and we don't hear about them or read about them. My suggestion is to always be cautious of your surroundings and those that are watching you.

Papa David's is a gay owned and operated business in Pattaya. It is located on the way to Jomptien at the circle turnaround right after Pattaya Properties. They have a wide variety of food to eat and enjoy. They have a bit of something for every taste. It is English owned and the food has a flare of the English in it but a wide variety of other things. I ate a great Chicken Plate with two pieces of chicken and 2 pieces of whole wheat toast. It tasted very good. The BF had some Thai food and he said it was good as well. When I lived in Jomptien a few years back, I ate there several times a week and always went alone and sat and was served with a smile and the food was good. The cost of the Chicken and Toaste with coffee and juice was 180 baht. Papa David's is clean and the atmosphere is very comfortable. I recommend it to anyone staying in the area looking for a good, inexpensive meal with good quality food.

The base fare is the same but the extras for fuel surcharge just went up over 260 UDS per ticket yesterday. I was looking into getting a ticket later this summer and another in the fall but could not see why the fares jumped so high when I hit Submit. I called them and they said that as of yesterday, an additional 260 would be added for each ticket for the high cost of gas. Just an FYI

Well, I thought I had pizza at News Cafe in the past and stopped by to ask the manager about it and he said No, they never had it. I told him I had eaten there when they had the 2nd floor open. He said that was not News Cafe but Gians and that the place had now moved next door to them. Yes, my memory is not good and it fails me often. So, for my last dinner in Thailand, I took my favorite guys to eat at Gians. We ordered 2 pizzas for appetizers. One was a sausage pizza and the other one seafood. I had 5 guys with me. Each had a slice of each and loved them and we boxed the rest for later that night. We ordered 4 main dishes to share together as I wanted them to try it all. We ordered Lasagna, Seafood Spaghetti, Salmon Penne, and Ravioli. The guys loved everything but the Ravioli as when they looked at it, it was green and they thought disgusting. I asked them to each please just taste it. They did and they loved it. Each course was a success. By far their favorite was the Salmon Penne and they all said that is what they would get when they returned. I really like the Seafood Pasta for myself and it tasted great. The guys all had Margaritas and beer. I had water. We shared all the food together and for all of us the bill was 3k baht. It is not the cheapest place in Pattaya but the food is excellent and the atmosphere was wonderful. We were an obviously gay group. Well, I an obviously gay falang with an obviously straight group of guys and we were well treated and the waiters were attentive and friendly. I met the manger and he was very nice and gave us great information. Gian’s is going to be a regular stop on my trips here. Great food. Great atmosphere and very enjoyable. Gian's is located next to News Cafe on the road that leads into Jomptien from Pattaya. It is right before Chateau Dale and the first View Talay. It is in the complex of small shops and it on the front corner location. It has a sign out front and is easy to find.

Well, unlike ChrisUK's 6 month long stay (which would be divine in my mind) I have just finished my 12 days stay. It was the shortest stay I have had here in years and of course I longed for a longer time. But, other business calls in the USA that I must attend to this week. I really only came to Thailand this time for the boyfriend's Birthday. I kept asking him what he wanted and he only said for me to come to see him for his Birthday. I tried to offer gifts in exchange for such a short trip but it did not work. I guess deep inside, he knew that I would get him a nice gift anyway and I did. I got him a watch that was a match to one of mine that he had wanted for a few years. His mother said to him that it was crazy to ask for something like that and he said he didn't ask for it that I had just given it to him. His mother thinks he has me wrapped around his finger and that I will do whatever he wants. Interestingly enough, my family and friends think the same thing. Anyway, the trip was great and I really enjoyed my time here. I got to see some good friends from years gone by and catch up on some of the wonderful Thai guys I have met over the years. I didn't really take anyone off that was new to me but stuck to the guys I have known for a few years. I was not as adventurous on this trip and didn't try as many new places as in the past. I did eat at News Cafe and Gian's in Pattaya but had eaten at both before. I ate more meals at Salt and Pepper in Soi Day Night. I find the food there the best and most reasonably priced in the city and my Thai friends love to eat there. I was able to see the paranoia that has beset Sunee and the countless humdrum of the bar scene in the area. I didn't get to the bars in Bangkok for the first time in many trips. That is usually my first few nights in Thailand. My favorite massage parlor B and N was not visited by me on this trip and I can't even remember a time in Thailand when I didn’t have a massage there. The Beach area was slow on the days I went. I still had fun as it was a good way to just relax and sit back and let Marium do a pedicure and manicure. It certainly beats the 50 USD price in LA I had been paying. I had many new offers for live in boyfriends on this trip than any other. Odd as I live in a hotel and can't take but one back to it at a time and the current bf and I have been together for 4 years. I think that is the result of a very low season. The guys that are normally off and busy are slow. They were looking for a long time financially steady guy. I did off many guys that I was a friend with in the past. None were for sexual pleasure on my part but for a night out and having fun and I honestly just wanted to help them out with a little spending money, as I knew they needed it. I don't mind giving a former ex or someone I really adore some baht during low season. I did have one boy I offed a few times who is a doorman in Sunee but he is my favorite massage guy and he did work for the money. His massages were amazing and money well spent. I spent more money in Phuket than in past but that was because I took 3 guys with me instead of just one. It was the boyfriend’s birthday trip and I wanted him to take his friends. I had tried to get him to get his passport, which he lost and go to Hong Kong for his birthday but he wanted to spend time in Phuket, as he had never been there. The trip for me was fun but as you see if you read the report, it was nothing exciting in the bar scene. Pattaya and Phuket are both building up condos and hotels like mad. I had trouble in both cities getting a good hotel, as they were full. I was really surprised at this and wonder if it has to do with the turning tides in Thailand geared toward more high end tourists that are looking for a resort instead of the bar scene? As always, I say I really envy those that are able to stay here year round. It is a paradise and with all its flaws and scandalous characters, it is a bit of heaven on earth.

I had a nice meal at the News Cafe last night. No pizza is on the menu. I know I have eaten Pizza there before but my memory is bad and perhaps I have not. Anyway, they have a host of good food selections and I decided on a board of Steak and veggies. It was absolutely delicious. The steak was not as good as Manhattans but it was excellent. The rest of the meal was much better than Manhattans IMHO. I did break down and have the Crème brûlée. It was good but not great. Cost 130 baht. News Cafe is located right after Bruno's Restaurant if you are headed from Pattaya to Jomptien and it is right before Chateau Dale and the View Tallays. The atmosphere is nice and the food was good. I did think the service was not as good as some places in town but I was also told the owner was not in last night and things may have been a bit off. Please don't get me wrong, the servers were good and there when needed. They just served all the appetizers and salad at the same time and a few little things that most Thais would not know when serving Farangs. But, they were attentive and helpful and professional. I really like the News Cafe and think the food was great. I tasted the boyfriends Elephant Ear (steak not a real Elephant ear) and it was great as well. It is best to tell the Thai guy with you that the name is Elephant Ear but it is NOT an Elephant as they find that not only distasteful but almost sinful to eat a elephant. A bottle of wine is about 1,000 baht and the dinners are about 350 bath each. The boyfriend had a mix of Chivas and Wine and it hit him fast and hard. Being my next to last night in Pattaya before my next trip, I really wanted him to go out with me but he ended up going home and resting while I went to the Plaza to find other company. Luckily, I was able to find someone who wanted to spend time with a fat old Falang. I guess it must have been either my good looks or the smell of the Crème brûlée on my breath and they thought I was a Parisian.

If two Thai guys decide to go into business together and they jointly sign a lease as business partners would both signatures be needed to sell the business or just one? Or, if 2 Thais own a company and the company buys a business, is it able to be liquidated by only one?

Day 1: Pattaya to Phuket We started our adventure from Pattaya and took a hotel car to Phuket. We had a total of 4 people and 5 large bags. We needed to be sure to handle the bags so we used the Hotel car service. The rate from them was 3500 Baht for airport in large van. After about 45 minutes on the road I had a sudden, “oh Shit” moment. I forgot my medicine in the refrigerator of the hotel. I was given some medicine that will control my Thyroid when I was in LA a few weeks back and the doctor in Beverly Hills I went to needed me on this for 2 weeks and then another blood test to determine the right dose. We called the hotel and as we didn’t have time to turn around and go back, I had them send the medicine to me via another car. This costs 2000 baht and it arrived shortly after we were checked into the airport and the boys had a few smokes outside. We debated as to whether or not to go from the airport close to Pattaya or go from Bangkok. It was decided that we would do the Bangkok airport as I would be able to get my points with them and they offered Business class seats. The roundtrip from Pattaya for coach was 7250 baht and the roundtrip from Bangkok for business was 8250 baht. We choose this, as we usually never get extra surcharges for heavy luggage if you are flying in their business class seats. The boyfriend and I both have Frequent Flyer cards with Thai Air and we linked them to our respective accounts. The other two friends that went with us had never flown before and they were excited to try the first time. Both of them wanted to sit near the window and they did. One of them never took his eye off the window and as soon as we landed he called his family to tell them he was flying above the clouds. I think he would have been happy to turn around and do it again. It did remind me of my first trip ever when I was 16 and went from USA to London. I loved the plane ride and would do it again many times and rarely got bored of it in my early years. We had wanted to stay at the Baan Yin Dee but they were fully booked for the nights we wanted. They did have the ability to switch us from 3 different rooms over the course of the trip but that was just not something I wanted to do so I booked at the Holiday Inn instead. The Holiday Inn is located not too far from the gay area and is an easy walk to the main epicenter of gay culture here. There are also lots of little shops and stands along the way to keep you mind occupied along the walk. The Holiday Inn costs around 5k per night per room and that included breakfast for all of us. I am part of their highest level of priority points as I stay when the hotel chain hotels over 125 nights a year. When we checked in they wanted to upgrade us to a private area of the hotel with nice bungalows or studios but that area did not have Internet in the rooms and that was just not acceptable to me. So, we took rooms in the main part of the hotel. The rooms were excellent with nice comfortable beds and a very nice shower. All have been recently renovated and are clean and modern. The shower has a window in it so you can open a hidden door to see the shower from the outside room to the inside of the showers. This was great for me to watch the boyfriend shower but not so wonderful when he tried to watch me. The rainfall water shower is excellent and I have really enjoyed using it each day. The first night we ate at the Ban Rim Pa restaurant. It is one of my favorites in Phuket and it on the hill overlooking the bay and simply beautiful it is a bit pricy but I wanted the guys to see the view as the sunset. We decided on a fixed menu that was seafood based and came with 4 or more appetizers and 6 main courses. The rate per person was 1600 baht. The guys ordered about 3 Coronas each and I got some watermelon juice and coconut juice. The total bill at the end of the night was slightly over 9k baht and service was included in that price. If you go here, I suggest you call and make a reservation as they are often booked and will take walkins when available but to be assured a table, call in advance. If you want a great view and your table sticking out off the cliffs, ask for one of the front tables that are gazebo like over the rocks. There are several of them and they have a wonderful view of all around the area and a great view of Patong beach. Baan Rim Pa 233 Kalm Beach Road Phone – 076-340789 We took a baht bus to the Paradise area. This is the gay area of Patong Beach. Most baht buses and taxis take you in the city for 200 baht. That was his rate and that is what we paid. We got to the Paradise area around 8:30 but there were no boys in ANY of the go-go bars. The place was a ghost town. They all open at 8 but they say the boys don’t usually come until 9:30 or 10. We sate at My Way bar on the outside and had some drinks to watch the passerby’s. It was very slow. The four drinks cost us 530 baht. That was 2 sodas and 2 whiskey and cokes. We went into Mama Sans bar as they did have go-go boys on stage. While the outside of the place is decorated beautifully, the inside still has the worst smell of any bar I have been to. It is musky and smells like moths. We all took a whiff and sat down and ordered drinks. The boys on the stag were NOT anything like we had imagined and not one of them was attractive to me. They may have been cute to someone but I was not able to find one. After the drinks came, I told the boys they had 3 minutes to drink before they guzzled them down. Down they went and out we went. The four drinks were 600 baht and it was totally worth it to get out of there fast. On the Soi directly to the right of paradise is a pool hall I fell in love with when I brought a boy here a few years back. It is well done and airs conditioning inside with 4 pool tables downstairs and more upstairs. They have a clean place and the boys rack the balls for you and drinks were plentiful. We were there for about 2 hours total and all had drinks and the cost of the night was under 700 baht. I think it is called Pluto. On the same Soi as the Pool hall I love are: Best of Faith Massage Heaven Bar Spy Boys Black and White Bar Boys Paradise Inn Flying Handbag Bar Aquarius Angel- now for sale and a great inside. That Soi is also full of gay businesses. Mostly beer bars and host bars. I wandered up and down the Soi but did not find anything I liked. We headed back to the hotel early after stopping by James Dean for a drink. We knew we had to get up early to do a full day boat adventure so we went back to the room and showered and were asleep by midnight. At least the boyfriend and I were asleep by midnight. The other two guys have their own room and I told them if they went out to be sure to be back in time to get up by 7Am to eat and wait for the van to pick us up. I didn’t ask them where they went or even if they went out as they were up and showered and ready to go by 7. Day 2 We book an adventure with Island Hoppers. It was a full day of going from one Island to the next and lots of swimming, relaxing, snorkeling, etc. I have been on this same tour 4 other times and enjoyed it so I wanted the guys to experience it as well. The cost was 3250 baht per person and that included an early morning pickup and delivery. The van took us to the Island Hoppers office where we tried on our fins to make sure they were the right size and then we boarded another van to go to the boat. Having been a few times I knew the best seats were in the front so the boys and I go on and went straight there. It is a bit bumpier up there but not too bad. Our day included trips to Yao Yai Island, Baboo Island, Hin Klang, Momkey Beach, Phi Phi Don Island, Phi Phi Lae Island, Pileh Cove, Viking Cave, and Maya Bay. We had lunch buffet style on a private restaurant owned by the company we used for the charter. The cost was 3250 per person and included pick up from hotel and return to hotel. The group was Island Hoppers and the guides we had were great and their English was excellent. We were able to go snorkeling and see some pretty coral and great schools of fish, feed the monkeys on Monkey Island bananas from the boat, swim on the same beach as Leonardo DeCaprio made the movie Beach, swim in some of the most clear and beautiful water I have seen and feed schools of fish with bread right in our hands, as well as enjoying may relaxing time on different beaches covering each other in sand, splashing in the water and just having a fabulous time. It was so great to see the guys out of their element in Pattaya and able to hand loose and enjoy themselves. Island Hopprs 29/12 Moo 1 Thepprathan Road, T. Rassanda, A. Muang Phuket 83000 Phone: 66-76-252-606-8 Baan Yin Dee is an excellent hotel and restaurant. I tried to book their pool suites for us but neither was available for the week. They had no accommodation for us to book while we were in Phuket. I love the hotel and wanted to eat there. The food is excellent and not cheap but the view is stunning and the food atmosphere is amazing. http://www.baanyindee.com Day 3 We wanted to relax from the trip yesterday as I was sunburned from top to bottom and was in a bit of pain. We did use sunscreen but I guess I didn’t keep it on as much as I should have and therefore was a quiet uncomfortable and just needed to sleep in today. We got up around 11:00 AM today and that was nice. The boyfriend and I are in one room and his 2 friends are in a separate room. When we got up, we called down to ask them if they were up for lunch. Lunch was at the gay bar area, Paradise. We ate at Newspaper Restaurant. It is right on the Soi with My Way and Tangmo. It was very clean and pleasant. We were the only customers. The food was excellent. It tasted good and it was nice portions. The average cost for a plate was 220 baht. We had 5 different plates and several drinks. The bill was 1700 baht and while good, it was expensive. We were told the owner of that restaurant is the same owner as Tangmo and 5 other businesses on that Soi. We then went to the Cobra Show as the boys really wanted to see it. I have seen one before in Chiang Mai and this one was very similar. The guys loved seeing all the snakes, etc and we had our picture taken with a few of them. The show cost 400 baht a person. They had a drink and food bar outside if anyone wanted drinks. We were able to see the show and walk around and look at several other snakes and animals. The show was fun to see if you have never been to one. The next stop was the Shooting Range. We each wanted to try some shooting with pistols and shotguns. The pistols were 900 baht for 10 bullets and the rifles were 700 baht for 10 bullets. Each of us did both the rifle and the pistol. I was the lucky winner of the rifle contest with 94% shooting skill. The boyfriend kicked ass with the pistol and blew me and the other guys away with his percentages. All in all this is a very expensive thing to do but it really a treat for the Thai guys who always see these on TV but never had a chance to hold one and shoot. Next we went Bungee Jumping. We chose the Jungle Bungy Jump under New Zealand Management. They charge 2,000 bath for the jump and that includes a shirt. They will take a DVD of the jump for another 500 baht. So, total per person was 2500 baht. This company was professional and well organized and I did feel safe there and did not think there would be any issue. I took a lot of photos myself so we didn’t pay them to do that for us. Jungle Bungy Jump – 076-321351 At night, we ate back in the Paradise area. We choose a place called 888888 ATM. It was clean and nicely decorated. The food was simply horrible. They over salted everything and the wait time was over 40 minutes. I ordered a hamburger and it was eatable but no where close to the wonderful Niddy’s hamburger I once got in Pattaya. The boys got Thai food and 2 got Spaghetti. They said the Thai food was OK but the Spaghetti was over salted and tasted bad. We each had one drink and the cost for the 4 of us was 800 baht. I hope that this was just a bad night for these guys but watching them trying to cook a hamburger was enjoyable. They had 3 cooks and 4 waiters and we were the ONLY customers. They had a large debate about the burger and finally they decided to salt it. I wish they had just asked me about it. We went over the Soi for drinks at a local beer bar. This one was directly adjacent to Tangmo. We sat outside of it as one of the guys recognized a boy who had worked at Crazy Dragon and has moved back to Phuket. The drinks at the bar were 100 baht each. Not quite as cheap as most beer bars I go to but this seems the norm here. Phuket is much more expensive in every area then Pattaya or Chiang Mai. We went toe the Simon Cabaret and sat 3rd row. The seats were great and the guys loved the show. They have all had Katoy girlfriends before so they really got a kick out of some of these beautiful women. The show as fun and enjoyable. The tickets were 600 baht each and that did not include transportation. For other 80 baht each, they would have picked us up and delivered us to the hotel. Day 4 Rock-climbing day. We were up early and had the free buffet at the Holiday Inn. The buffet is great with a wide variety of choices for everyone. They have Thai dishes, Japanese dishes, some Arab flare and of course all the Western like food. Today was the first day I had seen the guys drink coffee. They normally just drink juice but I guess they stayed up late night and were tired and thought the coffee would give them a boost. We had to meet the driver at the front of the lobby by 7:30AM. We were there and off for the day. I decided to sit this day out as my sunburn was still wrenching from pain. The boys said they had a blast. The boyfriend had gone with me to Chiang Mai on a rock-climbing trip and he was a bit more experienced than his friends but they all came back laughing and tired and said it was a very good day! The rock climbing was 2500 baht per person and that included pickup and delivery from hotel. I decided to stay in the hotel all day today and get work done. I ordered up some food for lunch and spent the day catching up on e-mails and other stuff. The boys returned so excited they were able to do the rock-climbing and I am glad they had a blast. The night was spent in the Paradise gay area again. In this area there are several bars and go-go venues. On the right: Newspaper – which we ate at and reviewed above. Dempseys Connect Room and Food – Seemed to be a busy place and the food was good! James Dean Restaurant – renovations going on one side but the other one open. Time Orchid Lounge My Way On the left: Maprang Bar James Dean and Friends Kar Door Host and Karaoke Thais Best Boys Spartacus Tangmo Kiss BB Boys Corner Bakery Around the corner to the left is the Mama San bar I mentioned above. By far the best bar we went to was My Way. It was full of cute guys and enjoyable. It is not as much fun as when I was here in high season but it was still enjoyable. When I was there in 3 nights this week, only 8-15 dancers I could see. I didn't stay for a show as I was really for a go go boy. Tangmo is fun and upbeat. A lot of cute boys and friendly staff if you like the really gay looking boys. Dempseys has some very cute waiters and staff. BB Boys caught my attention each night as they had a flow of hot studs walking into the place but I was never able to find them 20 minutes later when I would get there. While I would love to have wonderful things to say about the gay scene in Phuket, honestly, I can’t. It was dull and pretty boring. They did not have the caliber of boys that are in Bangkok, Pattaya, or Chiang Mai. I did love the time I spent there and enjoyed the Island and the city. But, if you are going for a date, you may want to bring you own.

First, I am posting in this forum as there were some comments in the new site revamp that makes me wonder about combining the forums. To test this, I am going to post my trip here. Phuket - Island Paradise Phuket Phuket is an often-mispronounced jewel in South East Asia. By far the most popular island destination in the region, it offers sandy beaches, beautiful Portuguese architecture and a rich history that will delight any seasoned traveler. The island does have a rainy season and tourists are advised to avoid its charms in September and October when it is soaking wet. For the rest of the year, particularly from November through February, Phuket’s limestone cliffs, tropical forests and powdery beaches make it a place that you don’t want to miss. The earliest history of the island comes from the Greeks. Claudius Ptolemy wrote of its charms as early as 157 A.D. For most of the past 2,000 years Phuket was used as a stopover for traders who needed to avoid monsoons. When tin was discovered, migrant workers from as far away as Portugal began to arrive and Phuket soon became one of the most influential meeting points for European traders in South East Asia. When the price of tin collapsed in 1985, the island government began hawking Phuket as a possible tourist destination. Travelers took the bait and its popularity and economy have soared. There is a diverse group of people living on the island; 35 percent of the people are Muslim ‘ representing a variety of religious and cultural histories. Hence, tolerance of all types of lifestyles has become the trademark of Phuket. While the nightlife of Phuket is always hopping, there are also a variety of activities to do during the day and as with most of Thailand, there are many wonderful western and traditional restaurants. Dino Park on Karon beach is one of the sillier tourist attractions. It is a small 18 hole golf course set in the age of the dinosaurs. It even features a dinosaur themed restaurant! All of the many beaches that encircle the island are wonderful places to snorkel and dive. At nearly any point along the coast you can find places to rent equipment and guides to help you explore the beautiful undersea vistas and the exotic fish that call the waters around Phuket their homes. Ko Kaeo visitors will not only find a beautiful sandy beach, but also a famous replica of the footprint of BuddhaKo Si-Re also features a wonderful reclining Buddha image. Cape Phanwa is home to the Phuket Aquarium, the place to go if you want to see the beautiful fish that the region has to offer, without having to go to the effort of diving or snorkeling to find them. The nearby Phuket Butterfly Farm has also been growing in popularity with the tourist trade. The Phuket Submarine offers people the chance to dive 30 meters under the sea in the comfort of full air conditioning and the Phuket Zoo is the safest way for you to see some of the regions more exotic animals. Patong Beach is tourist central and you will find a wide array of family friendly activities including go-karts, a haunted house, water skiing and Tarzan’s Water Bunny Jump. The Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary covers nearly 5,600 acres and has hundreds of different types of local protected animals. Wat Phra Thong is the most beautiful temple on the island. According to local legend whenever invaders have tried to steal the beautiful Buddha inside, hornets have attacked and driven them away. The adjoining island of Ko Nakha Noi has the regions only year round pearl farm that is open to the public. If museums are your thing the Thalang Museum has great artifacts documenting local culture. Of course, once you’ve had your tourist fun and have accumulated enough stories that you can safely tell your friends and neighbors, it will be time to head out at night and take advantage of the hot gay island nightlife. Like all gay centers in Thailand most gay bars have hosts and waiters that you can pay to play with for a relatively cheap price. There are also a number of gay friendly restaurants, go-go bars and massage parlors to meet virtually any taste you may have. Most of the gay nightlife of Phuket centers around the Paradise Complex on Patong Beach where the people party until the wee hours of the morning. Nearly all the go-go bars in town open around 8 p.m. and have their first live shows around 10:30 p.m. Of course you probably won’t want to spend your entire trip in the Paradise Complex. When you are ready to branch out there are other hot and happening gay places up and down the popular beach. For reasons best left to their therapists, lots of straight tourists flock into Simon, which features an all drag show with some very busty showgirls. One of our favorite hotels is Baan Yaan Dee. Its prices are a bit upscale but it is gay owned and operated and the view is amazing. They have 2 pool suites that open right into the 3-story swimming pool. Check out this hotel and all others in the Accommodations section. No matter where you decide to go, Phuket is guaranteed to offer you a fun experience on your gay vacation. Day 1: Pattaya to Phuket We started our adventure from Pattaya and took a hotel car to Phuket. We had a total of 4 people and 5 large bags. We needed to be sure to handle the bags so we used the Hotel car service. The rate from them was 3500 Baht for airport in large van. After about 45 minutes on the road I had a sudden, “oh Shit” moment. I forgot my medicine in the refrigerator of the hotel. I was given some medicine that will control my Thyroid when I was in LA a few weeks back and the doctor in Beverly Hills I went to needed me on this for 2 weeks and then another blood test to determine the right dose. We called the hotel and as we didn’t have time to turn around and go back, I had them send the medicine to me via another car. This costs 2000 baht and it arrived shortly after we were checked into the airport and the boys had a few smokes outside. We debated as to whether or not to go from the airport close to Pattaya or go from Bangkok. It was decided that we would do the Bangkok airport as I would be able to get my points with them and they offered Business class seats. The roundtrip from Pattaya for coach was 7250 baht and the roundtrip from Bangkok for business was 8250 baht. We choose this, as we usually never get extra surcharges for heavy luggage if you are flying in their business class seats. The boyfriend and I both have Frequent Flyer cards with Thai Air and we linked them to our respective accounts. The other two friends that went with us had never flown before and they were excited to try the first time. Both of them wanted to sit near the window and they did. One of them never took his eye off the window and as soon as we landed he called his family to tell them he was flying above the clouds. I think he would have been happy to turn around and do it again. It did remind me of my first trip ever when I was 16 and went from USA to London. I loved the plane ride and would do it again many times and rarely got bored of it in my early years. We had wanted to stay at the Baan Yin Dee but they were fully booked for the nights we wanted. They did have the ability to switch us from 3 different rooms over the course of the trip but that was just not something I wanted to do so I booked at the Holiday Inn instead. The Holiday Inn is located not too far from the gay area and is an easy walk to the main epicenter of gay culture here. There are also lots of little shops and stands along the way to keep you mind occupied along the walk. The Holiday Inn costs around 5k per night per room and that included breakfast for all of us. I am part of their highest level of priority points as I stay when the hotel chain hotels over 125 nights a year. When we checked in they wanted to upgrade us to a private area of the hotel with nice bungalows or studios but that area did not have Internet in the rooms and that was just not acceptable to me. So, we took rooms in the main part of the hotel. The rooms were excellent with nice comfortable beds and a very nice shower. All have been recently renovated and are clean and modern. The shower has a window in it so you can open a hidden door to see the shower from the outside room to the inside of the showers. This was great for me to watch the boyfriend shower but not so wonderful when he tried to watch me. The rainfall water shower is excellent and I have really enjoyed using it each day. The first night we ate at the Ban Rim Pa restaurant. It is one of my favorites in Phuket and it on the hill overlooking the bay and simply beautiful it is a bit pricy but I wanted the guys to see the view as the sunset. We decided on a fixed menu that was seafood based and came with 4 or more appetizers and 6 main courses. The rate per person was 1600 baht. The guys ordered about 3 Coronas each and I got some watermelon juice and coconut juice. The total bill at the end of the night was slightly over 9k baht and service was included in that price. If you go here, I suggest you call and make a reservation as they are often booked and will take walkins when available but to be assured a table, call in advance. If you want a great view and your table sticking out off the cliffs, ask for one of the front tables that are gazebo like over the rocks. There are several of them and they have a wonderful view of all around the area and a great view of Patong beach. Baan Rim Pa 233 Kalm Beach Road Phone – 076-340789 We took a baht bus to the Paradise area. This is the gay area of Patong Beach. Most baht buses and taxis take you in the city for 200 baht. That was his rate and that is what we paid. We got to the Paradise area around 8:30 but there were no boys in ANY of the go-go bars. The place was a ghost town. They all open at 8 but they say the boys don’t usually come until 9:30 or 10. We sate at My Way bar on the outside and had some drinks to watch the passerby’s. It was very slow. The four drinks cost us 530 baht. That was 2 sodas and 2 whiskey and cokes. We went into Mama Sans bar as they did have go-go boys on stage. While the outside of the place is decorated beautifully, the inside still has the worst smell of any bar I have been to. It is musky and smells like moths. We all took a whiff and sat down and ordered drinks. The boys on the stag were NOT anything like we had imagined and not one of them was attractive to me. They may have been cute to someone but I was not able to find one. After the drinks came, I told the boys they had 3 minutes to drink before they guzzled them down. Down they went and out we went. The four drinks were 600 baht and it was totally worth it to get out of there fast. On the Soi directly to the right of paradise is a pool hall I fell in love with when I brought a boy here a few years back. It is well done and airs conditioning inside with 4 pool tables downstairs and more upstairs. They have a clean place and the boys rack the balls for you and drinks were plentiful. We were there for about 2 hours total and all had drinks and the cost of the night was under 700 baht. I think it is called Pluto. On the same Soi as the Pool hall I love are: Best of Faith Massage Heaven Bar Spy Boys Black and White Bar Boys Paradise Inn Flying Handbag Bar Aquarius Angel- now for sale and a great inside. That Soi is also full of gay businesses. Mostly beer bars and host bars. I wandered up and down the Soi but did not find anything I liked. We headed back to the hotel early after stopping by James Dean for a drink. We knew we had to get up early to do a full day boat adventure so we went back to the room and showered and were asleep by midnight. At least the boyfriend and I were asleep by midnight. The other two guys have their own room and I told them if they went out to be sure to be back in time to get up by 7Am to eat and wait for the van to pick us up. I didn’t ask them where they went or even if they went out as they were up and showered and ready to go by 7. Day 2 We book an adventure with Island Hoppers. It was a full day of going from one Island to the next and lots of swimming, relaxing, snorkeling, etc. I have been on this same tour 4 other times and enjoyed it so I wanted the guys to experience it as well. The cost was 3250 baht per person and that included an early morning pickup and delivery. The van took us to the Island Hoppers office where we tried on our fins to make sure they were the right size and then we boarded another van to go to the boat. Having been a few times I knew the best seats were in the front so the boys and I go on and went straight there. It is a bit bumpier up there but not too bad. Our day included trips to Yao Yai Island, Baboo Island, Hin Klang, Momkey Beach, Phi Phi Don Island, Phi Phi Lae Island, Pileh Cove, Viking Cave, and Maya Bay. We had lunch buffet style on a private restaurant owned by the company we used for the charter. The cost was 3250 per person and included pick up from hotel and return to hotel. The group was Island Hoppers and the guides we had were great and their English was excellent. We were able to go snorkeling and see some pretty coral and great schools of fish, feed the monkeys on Monkey Island bananas from the boat, swim on the same beach as Leonardo DeCaprio made the movie Beach, swim in some of the most clear and beautiful water I have seen and feed schools of fish with bread right in our hands, as well as enjoying may relaxing time on different beaches covering each other in sand, splashing in the water and just having a fabulous time. It was so great to see the guys out of their element in Pattaya and able to hand loose and enjoy themselves. Island Hopprs 29/12 Moo 1 Thepprathan Road, T. Rassanda, A. Muang Phuket 83000 Phone: 66-76-252-606-8 Baan Yin Dee is an excellent hotel and restaurant. I tried to book their pool suites for us but neither was available for the week. They had no accommodation for us to book while we were in Phuket. I love the hotel and wanted to eat there. The food is excellent and not cheap but the view is stunning and the food atmosphere is amazing. http://www.baanyindee.com Day 3 We wanted to relax from the trip yesterday as I was sunburned from top to bottom and was in a bit of pain. We did use sunscreen but I guess I didn’t keep it on as much as I should have and therefore was a quiet uncomfortable and just needed to sleep in today. We got up around 11:00 AM today and that was nice. The boyfriend and I are in one room and his 2 friends are in a separate room. When we got up, we called down to ask them if they were up for lunch. Lunch was at the gay bar area, Paradise. We ate at Newspaper Restaurant. It is right on the Soi with My Way and Tangmo. It was very clean and pleasant. We were the only customers. The food was excellent. It tasted good and it was nice portions. The average cost for a plate was 220 baht. We had 5 different plates and several drinks. The bill was 1700 baht and while good, it was expensive. We were told the owner of that restaurant is the same owner as Tangmo and 5 other businesses on that Soi. We then went to the Cobra Show as the boys really wanted to see it. I have seen one before in Chiang Mai and this one was very similar. The guys loved seeing all the snakes, etc and we had our picture taken with a few of them. The show cost 400 baht a person. They had a drink and food bar outside if anyone wanted drinks. We were able to see the show and walk around and look at several other snakes and animals. The show was fun to see if you have never been to one. The next stop was the Shooting Range. We each wanted to try some shooting with pistols and shotguns. The pistols were 900 baht for 10 bullets and the rifles were 700 baht for 10 bullets. Each of us did both the rifle and the pistol. I was the lucky winner of the rifle contest with 94% shooting skill. The boyfriend kicked ass with the pistol and blew me and the other guys away with his percentages. All in all this is a very expensive thing to do but it really a treat for the Thai guys who always see these on TV but never had a chance to hold one and shoot. Next we went Bungee Jumping. We chose the Jungle Bungy Jump under New Zealand Management. They charge 2,000 bath for the jump and that includes a shirt. They will take a DVD of the jump for another 500 baht. So, total per person was 2500 baht. This company was professional and well organized and I did feel safe there and did not think there would be any issue. I took a lot of photos myself so we didn’t pay them to do that for us. Jungle Bungy Jump – 076-321351 At night, we ate back in the Paradise area. We choose a place called 888888 ATM. It was clean and nicely decorated. The food was simply horrible. They over salted everything and the wait time was over 40 minutes. I ordered a hamburger and it was eatable but no where close to the wonderful Niddy’s hamburger I once got in Pattaya. The boys got Thai food and 2 got Spaghetti. They said the Thai food was OK but the Spaghetti was over salted and tasted bad. We each had one drink and the cost for the 4 of us was 800 baht. I hope that this was just a bad night for these guys but watching them trying to cook a hamburger was enjoyable. They had 3 cooks and 4 waiters and we were the ONLY customers. They had a large debate about the burger and finally they decided to salt it. I wish they had just asked me about it. We went over the Soi for drinks at a local beer bar. This one was directly adjacent to Tangmo. We sat outside of it as one of the guys recognized a boy who had worked at Crazy Dragon and has moved back to Phuket. The drinks at the bar were 100 baht each. Not quite as cheap as most beer bars I go to but this seems the norm here. Phuket is much more expensive in every area then Pattaya or Chiang Mai. We went toe the Simon Cabaret and sat 3rd row. The seats were great and the guys loved the show. They have all had Katoy girlfriends before so they really got a kick out of some of these beautiful women. The show as fun and enjoyable. The tickets were 600 baht each and that did not include transportation. For other 80 baht each, they would have picked us up and delivered us to the hotel. Day 4 Rock-climbing day. We were up early and had the free buffet at the Holiday Inn. The buffet is great with a wide variety of choices for everyone. They have Thai dishes, Japanese dishes, some Arab flare and of course all the Western like food. Today was the first day I had seen the guys drink coffee. They normally just drink juice but I guess they stayed up late night and were tired and thought the coffee would give them a boost. We had to meet the driver at the front of the lobby by 7:30AM. We were there and off for the day. I decided to sit this day out as my sunburn was still wrenching from pain. The boys said they had a blast. The boyfriend had gone with me to Chiang Mai on a rock-climbing trip and he was a bit more experienced than his friends but they all came back laughing and tired and said it was a very good day! The rock climbing was 2500 baht per person and that included pickup and delivery from hotel. I decided to stay in the hotel all day today and get work done. I ordered up some food for lunch and spent the day catching up on e-mails and other stuff. The boys returned so excited they were able to do the rock-climbing and I am glad they had a blast. The night was spent in the Paradise gay area again. In this area there are several bars and go-go venues. On the right: Newspaper – which we ate at and reviewed above. Dempseys Connect Room and Food – Seemed to be a busy place and the food was good! James Dean Restaurant – renovations going on one side but the other one open. Time Orchid Lounge My Way On the left: Maprang Bar James Dean and Friends Kar Door Host and Karaoke Thais Best Boys Spartacus Tangmo Kiss BB Boys Corner Bakery Around the corner to the left is the Mama San bar I mentioned above. By far the best bar we went to was My Way. It was full of cute guys and enjoyable. It is not as much fun as when I was here in high season but it was still enjoyable. Tango is a blast. A lot of cute boy and friendly staff. Dempseys has some very cute waiters and staff. BB Boys caught my attention each night as they had a flow of hot studs walking into the place but I was never able to find them 20 minutes later when I would get there.

For those of you that love the Imacs but can't seem to be able to get them back and forth on planes, I have a solution for you that has worked great for me. First, I really wanted the IMac 24 inch as it has a great screen and it makes it easy for me to see and use. It is also 110-220 electricity voltage which allows me to travel to different countries and not blow the computer. It will also allow me to run Parallels which lets me run both the Mac OS and the Windows XP at the same time. The Imac is an amazing machine but traveling with it is a real pain in the ass and for the life of me I could not figure out how to do it as every Mac store rep I talked to said it was not for travel. I bought a Pelican 1640 Watertight Case $210.53 from B and H Photo in NYC. No sales tax if shipped out of the state. I configured my box to fit the computer and I was also able to put in my scanner and printer just fine. It is now a traveling office. It is 69.9 pounds which meets the airline standard and it also allows me to keep my office with me wherever I go. I love the new setup and have really enjoyed having such a big computer with me all the time.

What is usually the best way to get USD converted to baht? I have usually waiting till I am in a city before I convert things over but it is better to do at the airport?

Chris is a nice guy and I have known him for a few years. He seems to get along with everyone and his stories on living in Thailand are very well written and documented with photos and personal information. I suggest anything thinking of moving to the LOS read all his 5 chapters. It has a lot of great information in it. http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...t-5-t15175.html

George posted a detailed thread on SGF about the new owners of Memories Bar. It was a very well written detailed explanation and telling of recent events. I did finish my pot of coffee before I finished his story but it was well worth it. It is located here: http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...ues-t15187.html

I love drink Propel. It is like Gatorade but without all the sugar. It is a drink that has lots of electrolytes and helps your body repair itself and it great for exercise or when sick. I have never seen it in Thailand and wanted to bring some with me but the bottles are so heavy that it would be impossible. I found a great solution for those that love the drink as much as I do. They sell it in a box with powder. It is called Propel Fit Powder. It comes in a box of 10 and is relatively inexpensive. I brought over a case of it and it weighs very little and easy to put into a suitcase. I ordered mine from Walgreens in the USA but many other stores have them as well. Just an FYI for any interested.

Well, sorry, I am kidding on that one. Just wanted to give a nod to my friend Ear Wig and let me know he is still loved. As for Sunee, I am sure that you veterans have heard this over and over again, and it has never come to fruition. But, having visited Pattaya and spent time in Phuket, most that I talk to outside of the Sunee area say it is on its last leg. It is at the end of its heyday. I met several in Pattaya show say they will no longer go there and many others who say that they will not support any businesses related to the bars or the owners there. I am sure many of you have lived through the roller coaster ride before. Is this the beginning of the end? Will be bars that are there be able to sell and get their investment back? Are others willing to open up a bar where so much controversy exists? I cannot imagine that any of the bars are making good money, with the exception of bars like Ouds or Come In bar and maybe Jimm Jimmy James. Perhaps I am dead wrong in this and that there is great money to be made there. I just don't see it. What am I missing?

I dropped by the Hutch store near Tutcom the other day and saw their USB powered modem. It is supposed to give speeds up to 550 kb per second and is about 16k baht per year for the modem and the plan. Anyone tried this? I tried to buy the upgraded modem but they were sold out when I went there and they said it would be back in stock in 1-2 weeks. I have the ATT one for the USA and it is amazing and fantastic.

Apple has now introduced the new Iphone GPS due to hit stores in many countries July 11th. It looks great and amazing. It is supposed to be sold in 70 countries and I am sure not long before Thailand will have an official carrier. The price is lower on this one than the previous ones. http://www.apple.com

If you are a points guy like me, you love the free upgrades that hotels give when you are a priority member. Marriott is offering one to join up with them. All you need to do is go to the link below and sign up for the rewards program and give them your KLM number. I used my NWA one and it worked but if you want t follow the letter of the rule, use your KLM and once Gold, you can always revert back to NWA. Your Marriott will be upgraded to Gold. I have friends that have done this and it was instant. If you are already a Marriott member, you may go ahead and get another account or you can simply try to merge the two. The later works for some but not for others. I have friends that used this link with the current account and it was automatic upgraded the next day. It is worth a try for those of you that ever stay at this hotel chain. http://www.joinmarriottrewards.com/flyingblue/FBG2

If you are a points guy like me, you love the free upgrades that hotels give when you are a priority member. Marriott is offering one to join up with them. All you need to do is go to the link below and sign up for the rewards program and give them your KLM number. Your Marriott will be upgraded to Gold. I have friends that have done this and it was instant. If you are already a Marriott member, you may go ahead and get another account or you can simply try to merge the two. The later works for some but not for others. I have friends that used this link with the current account and it was automatic upgraded the next day. It is worth a try for those of you that ever stay at this hotel in Thailand or elsewhere. http://www.joinmarriottrewards.com/flyingblue/FBG2

In NYC I found very similar things. The West Village and Chelsea were mostly gay when I was there. They are now Yuppie heaven. Many of the gays are moving out to Queens and Brooklyn and even in those areas, the gays seem to be more spread out than in past times. I miss the old West Village and the days where the night clubs in Chelsea were kings of the universe.

Absolutely Divine!

Thanks for the link Anton. I appreciate it. I have used Vonage for years. I do this as they don't pull my IP and base my outgoing or incoming calls on where I am located. This means I can travel anywhere and still get all my calls for my monthly fee. I have the world plan and it covers most places I travel. It is not free but I find it worth it. I have used Skype in the past and enjoyed it. But, they have gotten much more expensive and they do look at your IP. I have unlimited US and Canada calls per month but if I am outside of the USA, they count that as long distance and charge me for each minute. This really sucks as I am out of the USA more than I am in USA. I haven't really tried other plans but I still use both of the above but mostly Vonage. The Vonage adaptor is also 110-220 so it plugs in fine in most countries and I can set up a regular phone with it and it works perfectly.

We are working on a revamp of the site. It will be our first major revamp since we started the site. We want to make it as user friendly as possible and give you as many new features as we can. So, what do we need to add? How can we make the site better for you? What features would you like to see? We would greatly appreciate any input possible. Thanks.

I have been in touch with a broker about a home in Pattaya. Not really interested but wanted to see the options. The prices for what they offer for most of the homes are outrageous. Most of the 3 bedrooms in nice secure areas are 85,000 baht. I guess the market is not as bad as many thought if those places are renting out consistently. I would never live in the city as I do feel it is not as safe as the Jomptien area. I had a friend that rented between Pattaya and Jomptien in a very nice large home with swimming pool and his home was broken into a few times. As my realtor was driving by that area, I asked him about home prices there, he commented that only an idiot would move there as the area is know for the robberies. I thought it may have been just a coincidence that my friend had his place broken into but I guess that was not coincidental. The realtor said he would not even show me anything in that area as it was a big mistake to move there. Most of the places he showed were in Jomptien and gated communities. I do know there are many that live in Pattaya and don't live in the gated communities. How safe do you feel? How secure are our belongings? Do the gated communities offer that much more safety?

In Pattaya with he boyfriend and I was woken up around 1 am with the biggest downpour I have seen in a bit The rain really plummeted out of the sky tonight I walked into my hotel lobby, ordered a bottle of wine for me and some security and we drank as we watched the streets slowly settle down and the mobs of wet people moving along the streets. It really does rain hard here!