daydreamer

From Jupiter, Silom soi 4:

Here's a Christmas photo that's not AI. This is from Moonlight bar.

That is the point. As stated in a previous post, the sois shown on the two maps above are both marked as Silom 7 Alley (Silom soi 7) on Google maps. The business provided an address that is not easy to understand, leading to the confusion of the location of the bar. The map I posted above shows the location of HIM.bkk, just off Thaniya Road.

Google maps is showing the location of HIM.bkk as being just off Thaniya Road, close to the Sala Daeng BTS station, on Silom Soi 7. The above map does indeed show the correct location of Silom Soi 7, near the Chong Nonsi BTS station, but this is Thailand, and things are not always simple or make sense. Consistent with the countless mysteries of Bangkok, there are two short sois on Google maps, both named Silom Soi 7, on opposite sides of Silom Road. In English, both sois are marked Silom 7 Alley. There are a number of Google reviews of HIM.bkk, dating from as far back as one year. There are photos and videos viewable on Google reviews. Looking at the videos and reviews, the bar looks like a Korean-themed hangout for young Thais.

Land Use Regulations is referring to the zoning laws assigned to different districts of Bangkok, as show in the land use map below. Phaya Thai district encompasses the area north of Victory Monument, to just south of Chatuchak, including the areas of Ari and Saphan Kwai. The Phaya Thai district is designated as a high density residential zone.

You can thank Deputy PM Anutin, who has urged hotels and the tourism industry to increase prices, and focus on selling Thailand as a premium brand. “We cannot let people come to Thailand and say because it’s cheap,” Deputy PM Anutin Charnvirakul said at an event at Bangkok’s main international airport to promote tourism." https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/sell-premium-thailand-against-discounts-wants-high-value-tourists-122070500055_1.html https://www.euronews.com/2022/07/05/us-thailand-tourism

Due to a chronic back issue, I do not get massages, for fear of worsening my condition. I don't want to become paralyzed from an accidental massage error. I also avoid chiropractors for this reason. Although I forgo massages, I occasionally patronize Thai male massage shops to off a boy, to go to my hotel room for sex. I found one superstar this way. I offed him from Classic House massage in Chiang Mai. I became a long term customer of his, seeing him for my entire visits to the Kingdom, and traveling with him over several visits to Thailand. After a few years, he moved to Bangkok, where he worked for several years as a masseur at VCK Cool Space, near Ari BTS station. Don't rule out massage shops, even if you don't want a massage. They are fertile hunting ground, with many willing and handsome young men. Many shops show their staff portfolio in daily Line app messages, or on the X.com website. After you pay the off fee to the shop the first time, if you want to see the boy again, if he is a freelancer - as many are, there is no further off fee, and no pesky mamasan, only your tip directly to him. Not all massage shops advertise off service, but many do.

That would explain Mr Su's plan of "fancy sex".

There were several web sites with forums years ago that were dedicated to gay Thailand, in addition to the excellent Dreaded Ned site. One popular forum was Gay Ting Tong, run by Oogleman. This may ring a bell:

I remember Harry's Bar well. Yes, in the 1990's, Dreaded Ned's forum was the top web forum for info. Here's a blast from the past for those that remember the web site with a bucket on its head:

This article from the Khaosod newspaper from earlier this year says "Thai Airways Finalizes Sale of All 18 Boeing 777 and A380 Aircraft". https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2024/05/13/thai-airways-finalizes-sale-of-all-18-boeing-777-and-a380-aircraft/

Of course it can affect people of any age, but teens are more likely to seek out the lowest cost drinks, as @reader and @vinapusaid. Many young people are attracted to large, low cost "mixed bucket drinks", served in an ice bucket, and shared amongst friends with several straws. These type drinks are popular at Full Moon parties, hostels, and many beach bars. The drinks are often made with a mixture of several different types of liquor and energy drinks combined.

Thailand has already included a departure tax into the price of international airline tickets for about 20 years, so they should not have any problem with collecting this new revenue stream from the airlines. Before the departure tax was included in the ticket price (about 20 years ago), every departing international passenger was required to buy a paper tax receipt for 500 baht in cash after check-in, and then immigration officers collected the tax receipt when the traveler passed through immigration, upon departure. I remember machines in the airport departure terminal that sold those paper tax receipts. Tourists used to be reminded to keep 500 baht cash when leaving the country, to pay the tax. Over the years, and after the tax was integrated into the ticket price, the international departure tax increased from 500 baht to 600, then to 700 baht, and recently it was increased to the present 730 Baht. This fee is invisible, as it is now built into the international airline ticket prices. Domestic passengers currently pay a tax of 130 baht on flights. This newest tax is being called a "tourism arrival fee or tax", and will be 300 baht (in the beginning). So once the new tourist arrival fee is implemented, between the two taxes, a round-trip international air traveler will pay 300 baht arrival tax, and 730 baht departure tax, for a total of 1,030 baht. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2866607/minister-aims-to-levy-300-baht-tourism-tax

Well, the government of Thailand is still promoting cash usage big time. The government just budgeted 180 billion baht (cash) for the first tranche of 10,000 baht handouts. The ATM machines are working overtime, as can be seen in this photo from the front page of today's Bangkok Post.

I didn't see this announced in the Bangkok Post, but here are a couple links stating the new Electronic Travel Authorization will not begin this December as planned. Originally set to begin in December 2024, the launch date for the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system remains undecided due to the need for further coordination with relevant agencies. https://www.globe.co.th/news/thailand/thailand-postpones-launch-of-automated-tourist-entry-system/

Well, there are people complaining that security staff are directing families with children to the fast track lane, causing long backups. Families with infants are a listed category for fast track. I don't know if airport staff are allowing families with older children (with no infants) to use the fast track or not. The reference I made above concerning congestion comes from this document from AOT:

Economy class passengers age 70 and above are welcome to continue to use the Fast Track Lane, as directed in guidance from the Airports of Thailand, the management company of Suvarnabhumi Airport. So, no change for 70 and above passengers, see the photo of previous signage above, it states "Senior Citizens Over 70". I failed to include the senior citizens category in the list I typed in my original post above. Sorry for any confusion.

Yes, the change was that Business Class and First Class no longer use the Fast Track Lane in zone 2. They now use the Priority Lane in zone 1 or zone 3. The immigration officials made this change to alleviate congestion in the Fast Track Lane. Here is a photo of the previous signage at Fast Track. Note the previous inclusion of business and first class passengers.

Yes, there are three immigration entry zones. Under the newest rules, if you travel by Business Class or First Class, you are eligible to use the Priority Lane in zone 1 or zone 3. The Fast Track Lane is only for Diplomatic and Official passport holders , BOI (APEC CARD)/ABTC, MICE, Smart visa, Long-term resident visa(LTR). The easiest way to identify the three immigration zones is by the gates that are opposite them. If you arrive from the gates on the western end of the terminal, as most international passengers do, the first immigration zone you will see on your left will be Zone 3. This layout map of the arrivals below makes it more clear. So if you are a business or first ticket holder, you use the first or third zone, not the center zone. Then after entering immigration zone 1 or 3, look for the Priority Lane, at one side of the zone. Note the East and West markings on the diagram. The gates on the east side are used for domestic flights. As to the question which airlines use which zone, the zones are not airline specific. You are free to use any zone.

The buildings have not changed. They have remained the same for decades. What you are looking at is a view of the Boyztown other entrance on Soi 13/4. Both views below were taken from in front of the Penthouse Hotel. The building on the right with the ornate wrought iron railings used to be the New Orleans Restaurant. The tall building in the background is still there.

For those humid days in Thailand, this is the way to go.......may as well be comfortable and stylish at the same time.

Peter, from your description, it sounds like the bar may have been named Solid Bar. Was the mamasan the same one who always wore the oversized blazer by chance?

Yes, the website Utopia and the gay and lesbian Utopia complex off Sukhumvit were both operated by John Goss. Utopia had a building with a bookshop, guesthouse, and a cafe on Sukhhumvit soi 23. The building currently houses a Thai restaurant named Jutharos. It is located a couple blocks from soi Cowboy. The exact location can be seen on Google maps at https://tinyurl.com/ybnb8jvn I stayed in one of the Utopia guesthouse rooms in either 1995 or 1996. I had offed a boy from the Hippodrome Bar in Saphan Kwai, and we stayed at the Utopia guesthouse room for a few days before we traveled together to Ko Samui. Incidentally, the boy that stayed with me at the Utopia guesthouse turned out to be a model featured in Midway magazine, one of the publications mentioned earlier in this thread. I remember the Utopia cafe served a very tasty khao soi, the Lanna Thai noodle curry soup that is somewhat difficult to find outside of northern Thailand. John Goss also took the hundreds of excellent photos for the book "Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture" by Philip Cornwel-Smith. The book is available on Amazon. It is worth a look if you are interested in Thai culture and everyday Thai life.

Yes, I remember the Apache Bar from the 90's, and the loincloth costumes the boys wore in the bar. I remember reading an article in Midway magazine that predicted that the planned skytrain, which was due to open in 1999, would hopefully bring more farang customers to the numerous Saphan Kwai bars. I don't think the skytrain ever made the area popular with farangs. Some of the Saphan Kwai bars I remember offing boys from were: Be High Street Boy Hippodrome Charmming (spelled with two M's) The Eagle Apache Midnight Cowboy These bars were all within walking distance of each other, in the side sois along Pradipat Road.

Not all Thailand Pass approvals are fake. If you receive an email about your Thailand Pass, please note where it is coming from before opening any attachments. Any emails coming from contact@passthailandteam ( .com) are fake. The correct domain address for Thailand Pass is @tp.consular.go.th . Also note that the genuine Thai government address ends in .go.th and not .com This information is also on a pop-up on the genuine Thailand Pass website at https://tp.consular.go.th/ I am posting a screenshot below. I added the blue arrow to make it easier to find the applicable text.