macaroni21

I had an unusual itinerary where I flew Air Asia to Bangkok from Kuala Lumpur. Air Asia uses Don Muang airport. I seldom have reason to go through Don Muang - must have been at least 10 - 12 years since I last did, coming in from Chiang Mai. At that time, there was no easy rail connection to get downtown from Don Muang. But now there is the Red Line connecting the airport to the spanking new Krungthep Apiwat central rail hub. I made a careful note of how I got from Don Muang to Sukhumvit-Asok (where my hotel was) by rail. Possibly this may be useful information for others. It took me 1 hr 15 minutes between exiting the Customs gate after landing and reaching Sukhumvit MRT station (Blue line). The same blue MRT line continues to Silom and Samyan MRT station. Just add a few minutes more. The first step is to get from the International terminal of Don Muang airport to Don Muang train station (run by the State Railway of Thailand SRT). It's a bit of a walk (15 minutes), but nearly all in airconditioned comfort. I had to go southwards from Terminal 1 (International) via the full length of Terminal 2 (domestic) till I reached the south end of Terminal 2. Then there is a bridge over the highway; the bridge connects to Don Muang train station. For an overview, here is a sketch map: First, walk to the south end of Terminal 1. There, near a money changer and a 7-eleven store, you'll see a sign saying "SRT Red Line". The route takes you past nice toilets. A good spot to get a leak before the long trip downtown. Every now and then, there's a sign, assuring you that you're going in the right direction. Then you enter Terminal 2 Keep walking, Look carefully, and there are signs indicating "Red Line". Finally, at the southernmost end of Terminal 2, it said to go up an escalator. At the top of the escalator, more convenience. There's a Magic Food Court. Finally, you turn right and get to a pedestrian bridge that crosses the highway. In fact, you can already see the elevated train station at the upper right corner of the window. At Don Muang train station, tickets to Krungthep Apiwat station (20 baht) can be bought either from machines or a manned counter. I had to struggle a bit with the machines. They just wouldn't accept my 20-baht notes (tried several times). I had to insert a 100-baht note, but then it gave me eight 10-baht coins in change. This is the platform level of Don Muang train station. Take care that you're on the right platform for the train going to Krungthep Apiwat. The station is not the final stop for the trains; they run north to Rangsit as well as south to Krungthep Apiwat and beyond. Take the south-bound. Inside of a carriage. Lots of room for luggage. I don't know if it can get crowded at other times, though. There seems to be a train every 15 minutes or so. On reaching Krungthep Apiwat after only 15-16 minutes, you can't miss the signs for the MRT blue line. You will need to exit the SRT fare gate, go through an underground tunnel to get to Bang Sue MRT station. Including buying an MRT ticket at Bang Sue, it took me about 8 minutes' walking. (the fare to Sukhumvit station was 41 baht). Then take care again to board at the correct platform. That they have mounted a big sign suggests that many people make mistakes. The blue line took 23 minutes to get from Bang Sue to Sukhumvit station. Total time = 1 hour, 15 minutes. Total cost = 20 baht + 41 baht = 61 baht. Precisely because my hotel was in the Sukhumvit area, notorious for choked traffic, I was glad I didn't have to rely on taxis. Taxis might also have cost me 7 - 8 times more, and I don't know how much in tolls might be involved. Hmmm... two pictures seem to be repeated at the bottom of the post. don't know how to remove them without screwing up everything else. Please ignore. the last two pics.

Haha, although the "OneSpa" name is within the Facebook page address (https://www.facebook.com/people/OneSpa/100093989228505/), you'll notice that stamped on the header image is the name "Sky Massage". Seems like when the manager absconded and ran away with the database last month, he also took the keys to the Facebook account.

Thanks, it works. I stupidly tried to add "g.beat" without success. Then realised I should include the @ symbol. And then it worked.

Has anyone been to GBeat recently? I am compiling a "to check out" list for my next visit, and am wondering if it should be high priority or low priority. What photos I have come across on the web (not many) seem to show a nice interior, but they are old pictures. Does anyone know what its LINE account is? I couldn't find a website or active Facebook account.

Basically, in all European countries, the comma and period ("fullstop" in English) are reversed. "6,75" means six and three quarters. And as you noted, 4.500 means four thousand five hundred. It gets even more interesting when you hit South Asia. 2,61,93,000 means two crore, sixty one lakh and ninety three thousand. And in China, you will often see Chinese numerals, not the kind of numerals we're used to.

And @Olddaddy's adventure doesn't even hold a candle to that of a friend of mine. She has a PhD too ( don't know if olddaddy has a PhD). She wanted to get from her hotel to a restaurant. Hailed a taxi from the hotel and was driven there. It was a short ride though there were a few traffic lights. After lunch, she asked the restaurant captain to help her get a taxi back to her hotel. Captain asked her which hotel she was going back to. She gave him its name. He said, "ma'am, it's on the same block, just round the corner to your right. You can walk back in 3 minutes."

Ok guys, time to let up on @Olddaddy. Despite this little adventure, he's nonetheless found his way around the provincial towns of Philippines (based on his trip reports), and now going to Vietnam. Not bad at all. Have some respect.😂

I wonder whether such a 12-hour rule is only for domestic US flights. For international flights the airline cannot assume that the passenger can get through immigration onto the land side, without which he cannot retrieve his luggage or check in again for the second leg of the journey.

One more thing - do check whether you need a visa to enter Thailand. The airline may call it a layover, but if you want to get past immigration to go downtown, you'll still need a visa unless your country is visa-exempt.

@pylonguy71 With careful prior research re transport options and locations, you may be able to squeeze in a massage at Arena and then book a boy from Moonlight during your layover. Given your preference for the more muscular types, these may be the least-bad options. I dare not say these are good options, because I don't know what you're expecting. The Asian body is not naturally thick like a European body, so it's much harder for an Asian to get as much mass as a European. What you may notice from this board is that (exceptions permitting) the twink lovers generally prefer Thailand and the muscle worshippers have a bias towards Brazil. @DenverDude is probably right about your luggage being tagged all the way to your final destination, so make sure you have what you need for the 16 hours in Bangkok in your carry-on. Although it may sound like a crazy idea to some others, I have done something similar before, during a 13- or 14-hour layover in Amsterdam, though it was a single cum, not twice. So it can be done. But then, I already knew the layout of the city from previous visits (making navigation much easier) whereas you're saying you've never been to Bangkok before. Arena Massage largely closes by about 9pm. I once made the mistake of getting there around 8pm and there weren't many boys left. But if your flight lands at 3pm, you may be able to make it there by 6pm which I think is their peak hour. This can be followed by a bit of dinner and then off to Moonlight for the show at 10:30pm. Get a boy by 11:30 or 12 midnight and use the short-time rooms at Suriwongse Hotel next door. Leave for the airport around 4am, perhaps? However, I don't think the short-time rooms are available for more than 1 or 2 hours, so it may be better to get a regular room in Suriwongse. It's going to be basic, but probably good enough for a few hours. Alternatively, the Raya Hotel almost across the street from Moonlight (it only has regular rooms, not short-time rooms). To make this work, you will need to understand the locations well, the transport system and have enough cash. It's a little worrying that you're not asking these logistical questions.

I went past about 5 pm yesterday but saw no sign of any work being done inside. That said, while another shop about 2 - 3 doors away had a "For sale/rent" sign on its shutters, Tawan's unit didn't have that, so it's not (yet) for sale/rent? That might be a teeny weeny straw we can clutch on to for the time being.

Such negotiations happen quite often in the massage shops of that area (I think you meant Silom 6). Management seems to want to maintain an image that these are proper massage places, even when the boys don't really know how to do one. So the boys are left to look after their own interests when the shop does not set a minimum tip as done in some other massage shops, e.g. in the Saphan Khwai area.

It's a little off convent road, midway between silom and sathorn. Google "eat me, Bangkok". It's been around for at least 25 years.

Considering how Grab made a handsome profit recently, I think we should olddaddy at his word.

By any chance have you heard of the State-of-the-art phone app called Google Map? Many members of this board have successfully found even the most out-of-the-way bars and massage parlours using it, without speaking the local language, in pouring rain and in the middle of the night too.

Does anyone have insight into the marketing mess at OneSpa? I get Line posts from OneSpa by Sky Massage and OneSpa by Barbra. Is one more legit than the other? Is one more reliable for making bookings than the other?

It may make for good copy, but do people seriously think that legalising same-sex marriage makes a country an LGBT tourist destination? I don't hear about LGBT tourists flocking to Uruguay, South Africa or Slovenia - legal in those places too. Nepal needs much better infrastructure and attractions than it currently has to attract more tourists. A lively scene with stripper bars, massage parlours aplenty, and perhaps a White Party for the younger party set would be what's needed to set it apart. But I don't see it happening. At the very least, a nice mountain village that serves as a gay enclave, with pretty cottages and modern conveniences, staffed with good-looking houseboys, willing to please... hmmm, that may be a start.

Just as the action in Brazil is mainly in the GP saunas, so the action in Thailand is mostly in the "massage" places now. Most of them are not where you would get a proper massage anyway. If at all there's a bit of a rub here and a rub there, it's more accurate to describe it as foreplay. Overall, it works out to be better value for money than offing from the gogo bars. My vague recollection is that you like your boys on the meatier side though I may be wrong and confusing you with some other member, but if so, turn your attention to Jey Spa, Sabaidee Massage, Arena Massage and maybe Goo Guy (their stable is mixed but they have some bigger ones). Vinapu should be able to give you more information about getting to those places.

Huh? My eyes got burned by that blazing tattoo on the chest. Even when I recovered my eyesight I couldn't see any handsome boy.

My last visit to the bars was in December 2023, with I think just one visit (to Dream Boy) in January. For January's Dream Boy, my notes (see https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2024/02/28/the-supermarket-stacker/#more-4022) say: Customer drink: 500 baht, Boy drink: 400 baht, Off fee: 550 baht. For December, my notes in relation to Banana Room say First drink 500 baht. Boy drink 300 baht. Off fee 500 baht. In relation to Hotmale, First drink 500 baht. Boy drink 400 baht. Off fee 500 baht. See https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2023/12/22/three-bars-three-obsessions/ I'm in no position to say whether there have been further increases as I haven't been back. I don't know what you mean by "were hitting over 400 baht per if tip is included in the transaction." Tips have always been separate from drinks and off-fees. As for the boys' expectations, budget for 2,500 baht short time, but if you time your visit right and the boys need you more than you need them, 2,000 should be the right level. And for me too, the attractions of Thailand are gradually fading.

You can try saying you're in a long-distance relationship with someone in Brazil. Boyfriend or girlfriend, take your pick.

+1

From BBC Weather (https://www.bbc.com/weather/1609350) I see predictions of thundery showers in the coming week for Bangkok. Daily maximum temperatures are indicated to be 33 degrees Tuesday to Friday. But of course weather forecasts are fickle things.

...which can be a problem, as my story here will show. This was from years ago. Chosen boy from gogo bar and me got into a taxi starting from Surawong Road towards my hotel in the Sukhumvit area. Along the way, the boy asked the driver why he was taking the scenic route. In response, the driver said something offensive about him being a sex worker. A heated argument broke out, and it was obvious we had to alight from the cab before things got worse. On the sidewalk, boy said sorry but he was too upset to be a companion tonight. He would go home. I didn't have to tip him, he said. We parted ways, each hailing separate cabs to our separate beds.

If only the gay bars of Patpong had something of this standard for their shows, it might actually be worth the 500 baht they charge. Then again, I noticed the investment in technology...