Jupiter decided to cash in on Christmas spirit and last night drinks went up from 150-180 to prepandemic 400 but at least show was decent with Hooola hop guy performing. And that rare specimen of smiling Jupiter boy was present so no complains from the me. Audience equals number of boys, roughly 20 so it must be tough. 

Soi 4 restaurants busy, but world famous, Michelin stars awarded Foodland restaurant at 3 pm completely empty except other forum member and me dining on their fine offerings at half of soi 4 prices. Madrid tavern still sporting padlock. 

Earlier atop MahaNakhon despite fine, almost unbangkokian visibility also sparse, crowd looking farang and Middle Eastern. On Saturday one would expect at least 10 times more people. But I like that sparse crowds, sure at odds with business owners. 

 

 

 

06 Jan '22:  "I just back from Dreamboys now. The government ordered the closure of high-risk places indefinitely from tonight. Silom soi 2 and 4 a lot of people have Covid19, Also in Dreamboys around 8-10 people have Covid19."

This is from a long time Dreamboys employee.  I've known him for 20+ years. He is usually reliable.

Since it's only week since I returned from there I find difficult to believe situation deteriorated that bad that fast but if he say so ? 8-10 people is probably half of Dreamboys staff. 

Vaccines are available to all and sundry and Thai population impressed me with mask wearing and other preventive measures discipline , can't see disaster coming that fast.

From friends photos, it seems Circus Circus is quite busy daily. Is that incorrect?

Last week it was opened only on Saturday and Sunday, closed working days

Today, they are advertising live music from Weds. to Sunday (tomorrow, Wednesday , a 'Ladies' Night!!!).

Also advertising today that proof of vaccination required for entry to Pride or Circus.

Alternatively, they offer on the spot private rapid tests for 100 Baht --results in 10 minutes.

 

No fear of bumping into Novak there then.

4 hours ago, Patanawet said:

Also advertising today that proof of vaccination required for entry to Pride or Circus.

Alternatively, they offer on the spot private rapid tests for 100 Baht --results in 10 minutes.

 

No fear of bumping into Novak there then.

We call him Novax here in Auz. 

according to recent post on Twitter , Moonlight will re-open on Thursday, Jan 27

see below

 

 

 

Moonlight Bangkok

 

@Moonlight_Silom

·

Jan 24

 

We are back to open for service. According to the prevention of the epidemic of covids of the Ministry of Health on January 27 onwards It will be open from 7 pm until 11 pm. See you soon.

 

I am curious about this from their twitter. Can anyone who can read Thai translate for us? Are these the new drinks prices? I couldn't use Google Translate because it's an image not inline text.

 

Google lens is useful for these situations, although not 100% accurate:

"car fare", "hair share"  sounds like some king of slang talk in this context but at least we know it's NOT new drink prices 

ส่วนแบ่งดื่ม = "drink share" (not hair share) = ??? share for each boy drink 150?

พนักงานต้อนรับชาย = "male welcome staff" =  receptionist,  ??? could also mean host boy?

ค่ารถ = "car fare" = travelling expense,  ??? 200/day for coming to the bar?

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

"car fare", "hair share"  sounds like some king of slang talk in this context but at least we know it's NOT new drink prices 

Oh damn. For a brief moment I had hope that prices have been discounted from their pre-pandemic level in order to boost business.

I totally forgot about the google camera translate function (it hasn't always proven useful). Using it now, I get a similar but slightly different translation. The 200 baht is desribed as "car per day", but the 150 baht is described as "drinking garden". Nonetheless, I reckon this is what it really means:

1. "Receptionist" is the boy who parades around in his shortest of shorts. He gets 200 baht for showing up and a 150-baht commission on any drink bought for him by a customer.

2. "Waiter" is as stated, he gets only 200 baht a day for showing up at work. 

Geez, if the latter works 26 days a month (i.e. only one day off a week), he earns only 5,200 baht. Furthermore, as shown in this chart, the minimum wage for Bangkok is supposed to be 331 baht per day. I guess that's why the 200 baht is not described as salary but as transport money. I can understand if the gogoboy is treated as a freelancer (since he can go off duty at any time once a willing farang is found, ibut it really doesn't pass the smell test to treat the waiter as a freelancer too, and not as an employee. 

I should remember to tip the waiter more than the mamasan. Then again, does the mamasan get 200 baht too??? Hmmm...

13 hours ago, vinapu said:

according to recent post on Twitter , Moonlight will re-open on Thursday, Jan 27

This is great news.  It might yet tempt me to book another trip, entry requirements be damned!

3 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

Oh damn. For a brief moment I had hope that prices have been discounted from their pre-pandemic level in order to boost business.

I totally forgot about the google camera translate function (it hasn't always proven useful). Using it now, I get a similar but slightly different translation. The 200 baht is desribed as "car per day", but the 150 baht is described as "drinking garden". Nonetheless, I reckon this is what it really means:

1. "Receptionist" is the boy who parades around in his shortest of shorts. He gets 200 baht for showing up and a 150-baht commission on any drink bought for him by a customer.

2. "Waiter" is as stated, he gets only 200 baht a day for showing up at work. 

Geez, if the latter works 26 days a month (i.e. only one day off a week), he earns only 5,200 baht. Furthermore, as shown in this chart, the minimum wage for Bangkok is supposed to be 331 baht per day. I guess that's why the 200 baht is not described as salary but as transport money. I can understand if the gogoboy is treated as a freelancer (since he can go off duty at any time once a willing farang is found, ibut it really doesn't pass the smell test to treat the waiter as a freelancer too, and not as an employee. 

I should remember to tip the waiter more than the mamasan. Then again, does the mamasan get 200 baht too??? Hmmm...

331 Baht BKK versus 336 Baht Phuket, I guess that explains why taxi fares in Phuket are double as high as in BKK

 

Any update for Silom bars? 

Hope who travelling there can share some, looking forward to travel there in March.

On 2/2/2022 at 2:20 AM, yp11 said:

Any update for Silom bars? 

Hope who travelling there can share some, looking forward to travel there in March.

I am very interested also if any of the forum members can provide any updates... What bars are open and closed? How many boys "on display"? What's the atmosphere? 

Myself I can't wait to visit Thailand again. And like to read about how the gayscene in BKK is recovering from covid19 pandamic... 

Bangkok Gogo bar status (checked around 10:00 pm, since official closing time is still supposed to be 11:00pm):

Nature Boy - Some staff in there, half asleep and dressed.  Think it was supposed to be open.

Tawan -Open in new location almost directly across the road from the previous premises.

Moonlight -Open

Screw boys -Closed

Fresh Boys - Open.  Over a dozen boys, but in jeans, so I did not stay.  Looking a bit larger than those found here in the past.

Hot Male. Men in jeans and loud music.

Dream Boy - Men in jeans

The remaining Gogo bars appeared to be closed.

Screw Boys and Fresh Boys would be my preferred Gogo bars in normal times.   As neither was operating as normal, I decided to have a beer in Soi 4 instead. 

38 minutes ago, z909 said:

 

Hot Male. Men in jeans 

Dream Boy - Men in jeans

 

can be easily removed, both guys from bar and jeans from guy.

Thank you for an update , moved up a bit in comparison with December. ( added Tawan and Moonlight )

Is Jupiter in soi 4 open ?

On 2/20/2022 at 5:05 PM, vinapu said:

Is Jupiter in soi 4 open ?

I didn't think it was open on Sunday.   However, on Monday evening I saw customers going in and out, whilst I was sat at Circus.

For reference, my total spend in Thai gogo bars on this holiday was:

Bangkok:  0

Pattaya:  200 baht

The Pattaya spend was in Nice Boys and they gave me no reason to return, so I didn't.  I was with another board member, who wasn't too happy either, as described in his post.

In Bangkok, out of the handful of bars that were open, only Fresh Boys traditionally has the type of boy I like.  However, their boy selection has deteriorated and they were wearing jeans every time I looked through the door.  

Some might suggest I should be supporting the bars in difficult times, but they need to meet me half way and dress like gogo boys.  The ladies visible outside or through the doors of the nearby bars are not wearing jeans, so I see no reason why the boy bars have to.     Besides another board member told me that Fresh Boys is owned by someone from the Police, which is another reason only to spend money there if they deserve it. 

For comparison, here's a link to a video.   Apparently from some respectable 1980s (?)   Japanese TV show, but yet they are wearing less than current gogo boys.

https://jump-in-jump-out.tumblr.com/post/672038305224867840/光genji-パラダイス銀河

 

Of course, my spending via e-commerce channels, was far higher.   Mainly Grindr. 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, z909 said:

 

The Pattaya spend was in Nice Boys and they gave me no reason to return, so I didn't.  I was with another board member, who wasn't too happy either, as described in his post.

 

it was me and indeed I was very disappointed with that visit, some boys were cute but complete lack of interest in us , the willing clients was just shocking.

I'd still give them a chance in future but only because another forum's  member I met was happy with experience night or two before we went so perhaps we had bad luck

Not sure if anyone visit gogo bar recently, perhaps can share some update? Freshboy, hotmale or any 

On 1/26/2022 at 12:59 PM, macaroni21 said:

I am curious about this from their twitter. Can anyone who can read Thai translate for us? Are these the new drinks prices? I couldn't use Google Translate because it's an image not inline text.

 

On the upper line-a bit funny, but its indeed the standard Thai line for ´staff  wanted´ Literally translated it says like  ´rab samoey´ or ´offer opening´ Now thats something many of you guys could also imitate. You see it in any newsppr ad for staff wanted.

These 200/150 bt are indeed in line with what most bars offer-in dire times- to staff as ṕresent´ to get as many guys in as they can get. The rest of the ´salary´is indeed the private initiative of the guys themselves. Its not an official recognised job so govt rules (as macaroni claims) cannot prevail. Thai logic. Most of such places also offer free food, communal meals or the like before/after.

Workers like mamasan etc most often have some type of ´special relationship´ with owner/manager. A large part of ´salary´will come in other forms as cash baht.

One bar which was a staple pre-pandemic doesn't seem to be much mentioned lately -- Screw Boys. Has anyone ventured in lately? Is it even open?