I wouldn't say  I'm a hyper vigilant person but I'm always aware of my surroundings & safety 

I recall back in July I was sitting in the Cocka2 bar in Jomtien complex, very quiet weeknight with only a few old farangs sitting out the Front 

Now before I came into the complex I observed 2 young farang guys and a young  farang girl walk into the complex.

They were drunk ,UK accents ,I had a bad feeling about them so walked around them ,skylarking with each other pushing each other etc 

Anyway sitting in that Cocka2 bar no one else seem to observe them ,

I was watching them 

they walked up to the very old guy with black rimmed glasses 🤓 and said "fucking pedo ...they walked into that laneway past Yupins that goes to the Zing where one of the young guys says loudly to his friends " I don't wanna walk past pedos'..lucky no one was walking hand in hand in that laneway at the time 

And another thing be  even more  be aware of safety , eg taking photos 

Don't make it obvious your taking pics of people especially young drunken males 

Today I watched on the News a Norwegian tourist  man in Melbourne Australia being attacked by a group of teenagers because they said he was taking photos of them ,a mob mentality attacked the poor old guy kicking him on the ground ,maybe he was maybe he wasn't,but be aware of surroundings , 

You have drunken topless male teenagers and he  started  taking pictures of them .. allegedly 

He apparently was so shaken up he took a flight ✈️ back to Norway immediately 

Even when I go to the Philippines I'm aware what's going on around me more than Thailand .

Maybe some of you are not "trained " or have no life  experience in being aware of your safety and I have seen people like that first hand where they will "walk" into situations not aware, completely oblivious of their surroundings 

Even going into bars I look first to get a "feel" for it ,if I get a bad vibe I don't go in 

I walked past a bar down at Jomtien beach that was playing live music , I looked before I walked in to see 4 young farangs so drunk they were spilling their glasses on others ,I didn't go in 

I actually had one farang from Europe sit next to a boy I bought a drink for in a gay  bar and proceed to talk to him like I wasn't there ,of course the boy responded to him as he seemed to be a regular 

So I could of abused the farang ,started a fight etc arguing but I chose to walk away and said to the boy take care and paid the bar drinks and left 

Sure there's 100 stories that work out well but if your an old guy with young Asian money boy you are not going to start kissing him beside the hotel pool with 20 drunken🥴 young Aussie  tattoed farang around say in Bali or somewhere,use your commonsense please 

1 hour ago, Olddaddy said:

if you an old guy with young Asian money boy you are not going to start kissing him beside the hotel pool 

who would think such innocent , high class,  exercise may land somebody in trouble

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

who would think such innocent , high class,  exercise may land somebody in trouble

Unfortunately it can nowadays especially with young farang males full of testereone who have been on the 🍺🍺🍺

1 hour ago, Olddaddy said:

Unfortunately it can nowadays especially with young farang males full of testereone who have been on the 🍺🍺🍺

as always ,  an old advice  ' be aware of your surroundings" applies and adherence to it pays well.

My one concern is having photos taken as I have no idea where or in what format they might appear. Personally I think photography in or near bars and restaurants should be banned. Sadly, with most Asians desperate to tske photos of every single dish they eat, that just won't happen.

24 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

most Asians desperate to tske photos of every single dish they eat

I have never quite understood this.  Most of my Asian friends and colleagues are that way, regardless of where they work and live.  Why is there such a need to take photos of a plate of food?!?  Even Asian students in the general population at the high school where I taught were this way when I would travel with various groups as a staff chaperone.  I simply don't get it.  

It is easier to be aware and leery of drunk people who are escalating, if you have not had too much to drink.

Drinking is the most common way to lose your perception of potential dangers around you.

3 hours ago, PeterRS said:

... Personally I think photography in or near bars and restaurants should be banned...

Inside a bar or restaurant, they can have their own policies regarding photography. Outside, on the street, there can be and should be no expectation of privacy. You're in public, and these there are CCTV monitoring your every move just about everyplace in any case.

5 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

I have never quite understood this.  Most of my Asian friends and colleagues are that way, regardless of where they work and live.  Why is there such a need to take photos of a plate of food?!?  Even Asian students in the general population at the high school where I taught were this way when I would travel with various groups as a staff chaperone.  I simply don't get it.  

I take pictures of food   To me culinary experiences are equally important to sight seeing when I travel. 

6 hours ago, unicorn said:

Inside a bar or restaurant, they can have their own policies regarding photography. Outside, on the street, there can be and should be no expectation of privacy. You're in public, and these there are CCTV monitoring your every move just about everyplace in any case.

If you are in M-Bar in the Complex (or other bar that has a show) there is a pretty good chance you will be part of someone’s video. It won’t be the boys at M-Bar filming since the owner makes them lock up their phones before the show starts at 10pm (which I think is a great policy). I’ve seen many people making videos of the show and because the bar is narrow, with the stage at the far end, there’s a good chance you will be in one of those videos if your sitting in the area closer to the stage. In Bangkok you see ❌🎥 signs at a lot of bars but in Jomtien I have never seen a similar sign. 

12 hours ago, Travelingguy said:

 

Drinking is the most common way to lose your perception of potential dangers around you.

it how many girls get pregnant

7 hours ago, FunFifties said:

I take pictures of food   To me culinary experiences are equally important to sight seeing when I travel. 

as long as it's food , not  a people sitting with you , which is pictured it's fine.

speaking about that I have short story. Veteran of many offs told me he left the scene and is no longer available so I wiped my tears and moved on. Then some time later my friend breakfasting  in one of Bangkok places  sent me a picture of the impressive  dining room. Some  guests were visible , among them , you guessed it already , my guy in question seating with older, Japanese looking gentleman. What could I do ? Wipe teras again and move on pretending I know nothing.

3 hours ago, Zipper said:

If you are in M-Bar in the Complex (or other bar that has a show) there is a pretty good chance you will be part of someone’s video.

over years on various YouTube videos of Silom area I  saw  at least 3 or 4  our members walking the street or sitting in one of soi 4 bars and a massage boy well known to me,   looking like waiting for client at front of Christian Hospital. 

Even worse, one of YouTubers filming girl bars in 136th street in Phnom Penh managed to catch nobody lesser them myself , presumably walking to Space Hair bar.

46 minutes ago, vinapu said:

speaking about that I have short story. Veteran of many offs told me he left the scene and is no longer available so I wiped my tears and moved on. Then some time later my friend breakfasting  in one of Bangkok places  sent me a picture of the impressive  dining room. Some  guests were visible , among them , you guessed it already , my guy in question seating with older, Japanese looking gentleman. What could I do ? Wipe teras again and move on pretending I know nothing.

Perhaps your guy had taken up karate and was having breakfast with his sensei. What's wrong with that? 🤷

10 minutes ago, mauRICE said:

So your guy had taken up karate and was having breakfast with his sensei. What's wrong with that? 🤷

nothing. Quite possible you are right, or it was just innocent breakfast with one of his former clients but I suspect, him being always shrewd operator, even if he left scene he left  himself opened to few chosen ones of his previous client just for old times sake and some extra cash.  Quite possible if I asked him about seeing him again he would agree but I being  gentleman  for first 2 years of my life decided  to take his word of leaving scene for face value and decided not to bother him at all.

Years before covid I was seeing  certain Tawan boy quite regularly, then he disappeared and I got a word , he got good sponsorship and left scene for good. Fate had it we met by chance on  the BTS  train. Expression on his face was clear " I don't know you". How I know it was him ? Sponsorship presumably ended and we met again in Tawan , then covid struck and I did not see him again since although who knows , he still can be there

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

it how many girls get pregnant

I thought semen was needed? Are suggesting  that the drinks are spiked!!

1 hour ago, Keithambrose said:

I thought semen was needed? Are suggesting  that the drinks are spiked!!

No, he's suggesting that they were all conceived by the Holy Spirit. Have you forgotten what day this is?

1 hour ago, mauRICE said:

No, he's suggesting that they were all conceived by the Holy Spirit. Have you forgotten what day this is?

Are you suggesting that the BVM was drunk?

13 hours ago, FunFifties said:

I take pictures of food   To me culinary experiences are equally important to sight seeing when I travel. 

I am also the same! I may post on social media occasionally but mostly it's for myself so I can remember what I've eaten when reminiscing and looking back on holiday photos, because I love eating!

I definitely love food and enjoy eating very much.  One of my favorite things to do especially when traveling is to try new places and new foods.  I just never take photos of my food and have always been curious about what the fascination is with taking photos of your food and posting it online.  Then again, I am probably odd man out in the fact I have no social media accounts and never post photos of anything online.  lol.  

30 minutes ago, jimmie50 said:

I am probably odd man out in the fact I have no social media accounts....

You are not alone

7 hours ago, vinapu said:

You are not alone

Indeed not!