daydreamer

Yes, another gem used in such situations is "He's (or she's) in a better place". Really? I'd sure as hell rather be alive than stuffed in a box and be put on public view. I can't think of many worse places to be than inside a casket.

And don't get me started about the very common and distasteful reply of "No problem" used so frequently in the US today in response to "Thank you".

You are correct. The term "how are you?" used nowadays is basically equivalent to "hello", unless asked of someone close to you (family, spouse, lover, etc). Then a more meaningful and genuine reply would be expected. People are indifferent to the term, they ask the question, but then don't expect or want to hear an honest answer. "Good thanks" or "I'm okay" is the more common reply. "Fine, thank you" would be a very polite reply today in the US.

It's actually more dismal than that. The average 7-Eleven worker in Thailand works 10 hour shifts, 6 days a week for that small daily wage. Amazing that they can put up with what must be a stressful job for 60 hours per week. I cringe when I see a tourist being rude to the cashiers in 7-Eleven.

Thanks, that explains it. I had suspected it might have been a comprehension deficit issue.

Thanks. You're fortunate that he is actually concerned about your health. He is a definite keeper.

From most current reports of the low season, I'm leaning toward starving, and trying to maximize his tips.

I agree with both sides. However, if I were offered a sure tip and a meal and drinks all paid for, I think I would grab the sure thing instead of holding out for a larger tip that may never come. Since Rich Asian guy offs many boys together, they get to enjoy the company of other boys, not just the one customer.

@jason1975, question for you - You said somewhere in your posts that you smoke Vietnamese cigarettes when in Thailand. Since your guy doesn't smoke, has he ever mentioned your smoking, or do you not smoke cigarettes when with him? Just curious, because many people have very strong opinions about smoking, and being around smokers. You may have mentioned this in one of your posts, and I missed it. I hope I'm not prying, I mean no offense, just following the posts about smoking, as many boys do smoke cigarettes.

Thank you for your critique of my post, however nowhere did I say the two were the same. I said "another page from the same playbook". I was merely pointing to the similarities of companies soliciting customer donations, and then turning around and presenting the accumulated donations to the organizations in their own name. I think most readers were able to distinguish the difference.

1,000 baht, is it fair to the boy? It deprives him of an off with the potential for a larger tip for short or long time with another customer. But it's anyone's guess if the boy would have been offed, if Rich Asian guy hadn't included him in the entourage. Take the 1k and go to dinner and drinking, or hold out for a possible larger tip??

I totally agree. It's another page from the same playbook that some stores in the US use. It is frustrating with cashiers in the US constantly asking if you would like to donate to one cause or other while you are paying for your purchases. After I told a store cashier "no" to her request the other day, she then went on to beg for a donation to a second cause. Come on, enough already!!. These businesses pester their customers, collect all the donations, and then present a six foot-long giant sized check for the total amount to the charity or organization during a publicity session, as if the funds were coming from them, instead of the actual donors. Is this done so the business can claim the large "donation" as a tax deduction?........

Surawong Restaurant is reasonably priced, and it's open until 4:00 AM daily. That makes it another option to Took Lae Dee Restaurant in Foodland for a late night meal and drink. It is directly across Surawong Road from the Amara Hotel.

The TMOT series was popular in its day, evident in the fact that seven editions were published and sold. No doubt the vast majority of gay tourists in the 1990's did not venture further than Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, however those locations were thoroughly detailed in the applicable sections, so TMOT did benefit gay businesses in those areas. The maps were excellent, and the city listings also included recommended hotels in each area. Certainly the planning of many trips to Thailand was assisted by the coverage provided in this book, useful both before gay tourists landed at Don Mueang Airport, and small enough to be carried while in Thailand. In the days before the Thailand gay websites began on the internet, TMOT was the most complete and detailed resource available.

The listings were extensive, however unlike the yellow pages, they were an integral part of the book, not paid ads. There were a very few paid ads in the book, but less than 20. This provided fair and unbiased coverage to every business. Along with the business name and address in Thai script, phone numbers, operating hours, and a short description, it was a valuable resource for many people. Maybe TMOT didn't entice visitors to other cities, but it was a very useful tool for those who do travel to areas of Thailand outside of Bangkok and Pattaya. I certainly used the listings in TMOT to locate businesses in Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, etc.

Not to be outdone, Imperial Japan killed between 7 million - 16 million Chinese civilians during their spree from 1937-1945.

The free magazines were not widely available outside of Thailand. Spartacus had some information about Thailand, but it was not comprehensive by any means. There was one resource that was widely read, and available outside of Thailand. It was a small pocket sized book titled The Men of Thailand or TMOT, as it was commonly known. Although small in size, it had extensive information, with maybe 250 pages. This book by Eric Allyn was available for sale in Thai bookstores, and worldwide, through mail order, and in some gay bookstores outside of Thailand. The TMOT book was by far the most valuable resource on gay travel for anyone planning a trip to Thailand in the 1990's, as it was kept updated with new editions annually. It listed every gay business in the country, in sections for each relevant city, and for Bangkok, was further broken down by district. The book had maps, short descriptions of bars, massage parlors, saunas, clubs, discos, etc. Business listings had directions in Thai, to show a taxi driver. There was also practical information about culture, financial affairs, travel, etc. I believe the book stopped being published in the late 1990's. This was the same time when gay websites about Thailand such as Dreaded Ned's Gay Thailand, and the first Gaybutton board were becoming popular, superseding printed material.

Sorry, @jimmie50, I can't tell you about credit cards in Cambodia, I used cash only during my visit there. Here's a photo I took from a Bangkok Airways ATR72 on my return to Bangkok from Cambodia. You can see the propeller in motion on the right of the photo: ThaI Airways used to fly the ATR72 as well. I took this photo of one on take off from Mae Hong Son Airport in 2007:

Perhaps the ladyboy show has an effect.

Surely the police saw the video taken from inside the car. If the Pattaya police were doing their job, they would have cited the motorbike driver for driving in the tunnel, as shown at the beginning of the video. The tunnel is an underpass on Sukhumvit Road, and there are signs stating motorbikes are not allowed in the tunnel.

The countries that appear in the bottom row of boxes have bilateral visa exemption agreements, with reciprocity between their countries and Thailand, so they are not grouped in with the other visa exemption countries that do not have such reciprocal agreements. As far as the discrepancy in the chart posted here, and the one appearing in the YouTube video, the chart posted above was made using information released by Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The chart was made and published by Khaosod English on their X.com and Facebook pages. There is a badge in the lower right corner that states the source of information is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As for the chart in the video, it doesn't show any author or source of information. Likely made by AI, which as we know, is often incorrect. A search on Google shows that Taiwan's visa exemption is being reduced from 60 days to 30 days under Thailand's new rules, so the chart posted above is the credible one.

Here's a photo of the banner that was at the Surawong end of Soi Twilight, shortly before the entire soi closed. They predicted 6 years longer, but as @vinapu said, they didn't last even one year after that sign went up. In the center of the photo, you can see the lighted sign for New Banana Bar, which was the first bar on the right side of the soi.

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The food is very good, as are the prices. The very small restaurant straddles the end of Patpong 2, next to the couple S&M bars. There is inside seating, and across the narrow soi, there are open air tables. The restaurant also serves Thai food, shakes, beer, desserts, etc. Some may remember that for years, this location was an open air luggage shop, with suitcases and various travel bags lining both sides of the soi. Below are a couple photos from Google. I added the red boxes to show the location:

Three days, and you'll become addicted, and be planning a longer trip soon. I think you are looking for Moonlight, not Midnight. Moonlight is a go go bar with muscular hunks. Midnight is a gay open air beer bar. You can visit both, they're just a short walk apart. Enjoy your time in Bangkok.