March 2026 trip Thailand & Cambodia

[thaiophilus]

10 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I agree, but I'm talking about ordinary, non ballistic, crises. If you follow the travel blogs, there are many complaints  about Emirates  and Qatar, who frequently loudly publicise their virtues, but, it seems, don't lift much of a finger when things go wrong. Their customer service reputation is at odds with their glitzy image.

Not to dispute what you've said, but on a related note I've found that online review websites are useless for comparing airlines, because most of the reviews are of flights where something went horribly wrong. Pick almost any airline and there will be a worryingly long list of 1-star reviews from badly-treated customers. If they've had a satisfactory flight most people don't bother to leave a review.

My only experience of problems with Gulf carriers was Emirates in 2020 when I had to cancel a flight because of COVID. They refunded my flight in full within a couple of days, and unlike many of the other airliness there was no pressure to rebook or accept vouchers instead of cash.

[Keithambrose]

19 minutes ago, thaiophilus said:

Not to dispute what you've said, but on a related note I've found that online review websites are useless for comparing airlines, because most of the reviews are of flights where something went horribly wrong. Pick almost any airline and there will be a worryingly long list of 1-star reviews from badly-treated customers. If they've had a satisfactory flight most people don't bother to leave a review.

My only experience of problems with Gulf carriers was Emirates in 2020 when I had to cancel a flight because of COVID. They refunded my flight in full within a couple of days, and unlike many of the other airliness there was no pressure to rebook or accept vouchers instead of cash.

Fair enough, though I do get blogs from industry websites, that highlight endemic issues.

[hank75]

21 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

I found a flight from Bangkok to London with Eva Air for around €700.

A smart move. A friend was searching for alternative flights from New York to Europe and back to Asia (due to a hard to adjust schedule) and has to pay something like $10,000 extra

Others in my work and social circles are predicting this could drag on for another five, six weeks. Not being American I have no insight as to which way policy will swing. 

[emiel1981]

After checking out of Le Méridien, I relaxed by the pool. It's vacation, after all. Late afternoon, I took a short stroll with my suitcase to Quarter Silom, where I'll be staying for the next two nights. I'd specifically requested a room in Tower 3, as it's easy to pick up a guy there without having to go through the main building and reception. After settling in and freshening up with a shower, my regular was at the door as agreed. Promptly at 5 p.m. 

He's half Thai and half Dutch. And being punctual isn't the only thing Dutch about him. It's also the price he charges. The same price you pay for an escort in Europe. Anyway, as mentioned in previous trip reports, I know he's worth it. And this time was no exception. I had an extensive massage that became increasingly erotic, and the extra service after the massage was five-star. A wonderful blowjob and a willing bottom. With a good body. And he moans in a very exciting way. For your entertainment, here's another picture of him:

Tonight, I met up with a forum member for drinks. He arrived at the boy bars a bit earlier because I was still having dinner. We discussed our options via chat. I wanted to go to a different bar than Freshboy or Goodboy, as I'd been there a few days earlier. We decided to try Hotmale. By the time I got there, around 9:30, he was already inside and the only customer. Even though he hadn't been inside long, he already had a guy sitting next to him. He doesn't waste any time.

The show started at 10 p.m. It was a short one. Still not many customers. During our time there, a few customers came in, usually ordering a drink but generally not staying very long. We saw quite a few customers come and go, but it was never crowded. The number of guys on rotation was also a bit disappointing. I recognized two guys from previous visits. When the fellow forum member left with his guy, I had one of the two guys I knew join me for a drink.

The boy told me that other bars have more customers, but they also employ more attractive guys. This makes it harder for him to get a customer in a busy bar, due to the "competition" from his colleagues, than in a quieter bar. Because he's worked at the same bar for a long time (10 years), he performs in various acts on the show. On a night when he works and performs, he earns 1,000 baht from the bar for performing in the show numbers. That's a nice basic income. And if he occasionally accompanies a customer home/to a hotel, it's a nice supplement. Somehow, a threesome with a customer and a second guy from the bar also came up. He's done that before. But he and the other guy from the bar don't have sex if it's a friend of his from the bar. In that case, both guys in the threesome would focus solely on the customer and not on each other. There are also guys working at the bar with whom he's less close, and he'd have sex with them.  It's happened a few times that he and another guy from a bar have sex, and the customer just watches and masturbates. I asked some more questions, and that led me to discover that he's also open to going to another bar with a customer and finding a guy to go with for a trip, and then having sex with him. Something to keep in mind... Haha.

[PeterRS]

17 hours ago, thaiophilus said:

Not to dispute what you've said, but on a related note I've found that online review websites are useless for comparing airlines, because most of the reviews are of flights where something went horribly wrong. Pick almost any airline and there will be a worryingly long list of 1-star reviews from badly-treated customers. If they've had a satisfactory flight most people don't bother to leave a review.

Totally agree. Hotel review sites are the same with Tripadvisor heading the list, at least according to one Business Travel Magazine. I once complained to Tripadvisor Head office about obvously fake one-line reviews (allthough these were praising one hotel obviously to get it up the city's 5-star hotel rankings). I was rather surprised when Triadvisor then took down half those reviews.

Qatar has ben my airline of choice on annual trips back to Europe, largely due to cost. Once when in the UK I was living about 50 ms from the airport and so checked the incoming flight on Flight Radar. Just as well because that flight was going to be 4 hours late in arriving, meaning I'd miss my connection in Doha. I was shocked that QR never once advised me of any late arrival, never provided any information of what onward flight to BKK I was booked on, and left me on my own in that huge biz class lounce in Doha. I know they have cabins for longish layovers and other semi-flat seats. I expect they were pre-booked, but no one told me about it. The 8-hour overnight layover in Doha was not pleasant.

[vinapu]

12 hours ago, hank75 said:

Not being American I have no insight as to which way policy will swing. 

don't worry, I doubt American president himself  does either

[emiel1981]

After some disappointing visits to Tawan during earlier visits to Bangkok, I decided to check it out again. It's located on the walking route from my hotel to the boy bars anyway. My plan was to have one drink there and then move on to another bar. When I walked in, there were four or five other customers. The guys on stage ranged from older bodybuilders to younger guys, but they all had some sexy muscles. I was immediately recognized by one of the guys, who sat down next to me and started chatting. A waiter immediately came over and asked if I wanted to buy the guy a drink. I declined. Despite this, the guy continued to give me positive attention. He flirted a bit, touched me, and massaged me. He also checked if I'd give him a tip instead of a drink. I agreed. After that, there was no further pressure to buy a drink. Nice.

I remembered from last time that he was a top guy, just like me. But he said he could definitely give me a good time with massage, kissing, and blowjob. I hesitated. But he quickly convinced me. We watched the show for a while longer, but when I finished my drink, we went back to my hotel room. We'd agreed he would give me a foot and leg massage, which he did thoroughly and well. He told me he'd worked in a massage parlor before and therefore knew how to give massages. He's working in Tawan now for about two years because working at massage shop didn't earn him enough money. It was a normal massage shop, no hanky panky, so tips were also not good there. He said sometimes customer would only tip 50 or 100 baht after 1hr massage. 

As his hands moved higher, touching my thighs, the eroticism grew, and I became more aroused. He capitalized on that, making my last evening in Bangkok before I leave for a week in Kuala Lumpur and Cambodia a great one!

[Lucky]

@emiel1981 I really enjoyed reading your trip report. Thanks!

[jason1975]

Enjoy your visit to Malaysia and Cambodia!

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Enjoy your visit to Malaysia and Cambodia!

+1

 

[spoon]

Hope you will enjoy KL! And Melaka!

[emiel1981]

4 hours ago, spoon said:

Hope you will enjoy KL! And Melaka!

Plans have changed. Only two quick night in Kuala Lumpur before traveling to Cambodia. 

[vinapu]

12 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

Plans have changed. Only two quick night in Kuala Lumpur before traveling to Cambodia. 

have fun wherever you go

[emiel1981]

Since it had been years since I last visited Kuala Lumpur, I decided to stop over there for two nights. I stayed at the Ibis Styles Bukit Bintang. The location is great, right on the food street, which gets very lively in the evenings. The hotel has the advantage that you don't need a key card in the elevator (there is a card reader, but it doesn't work). So you can let young people up to your room without having to pick them up downstairs. Otherwise, I was a bit disappointed with the hotel. I've stayed at Ibis Styles hotels in several cities, including Bangkok's Silom, but this one in Kuala Lumpur really doesn't meet the standards you expect from this brand. Not that there was anything particularly wrong, but with an Ibis Styles, expectations are somewhat higher than what this hotel delivers. Not only about how the hotel and rooms look, but also with regards to choices.at breakfast buffet that were limited in my opinion. 

As soon as you turn on Grindr in Kuala Lumpur, the messages start pouring in. Plenty of choice. Both free offers and moneyboys. And both from good-looking guys. In my case, bottoms eagerly looking for tops. According to one of the guys, Kuala Lumpur has a surplus of bottoms and not enough tops. Maybe that's why I was so popular. The moneyboys' asking prices varied enormously. I had two asking 500 Malaysian Ringgit, but also offers of 180 MR for massage and sex and 200 RM for sex from two also very good-looking moneyboys. I didn't figure out what the big difference was. Because again, both the expensive and the cheaper moneyboys all looked good.

I met a guy on Grindr and met him about a year and a half ago in Bangkok. We'd had a great time that time, so I invited him back to my hotel room. He was the money guy who charged 200MR for his services. A very good offer. And the service he provided was indeed as good as I could remember from our meeting in Bangkok. As you've come to expect from me, here's a picture of him:

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

. The moneyboys' asking prices varied enormously. I had two asking 500 Malaysian Ringgit, but also offers of 180 MR for massage and sex and 200 RM for sex from two also very good-looking moneyboys. I didn't figure out what the big difference was.

 

Likely there's no difference other than  boys measure market differently. Similar to Bangkok guys on Grindr , some are asking 1500 and are amendable to reduction , other will stick to their 5000 and don't yield. 

[emiel1981]

After a two-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur, I arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This was my first time using the new airport. Everything went very smoothly (immigration and baggage claim), and outside the building are three different telecom company offices where you can buy a SIM card with internet very cheaply. The new airport is so far from the city! It took me an hour to reach my hotel. There's a very nice new road for most of it, but the speed limit there is only 60 km/h. That's not very fast.

I arrived at the MEN'S Resort hotel. After settling into my room, I went to relax by the pool. Between five and six, many men entered the resort to use the sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and cruising area. A mix of older Western tourists and young Khmer boys. The dimly lit steam room seemed particularly popular for cruising. The lockable cabins were also frequently used. Nudity is not permitted in or around the pool. In the cruising area, including the steam room, jacuzzi, etc., nudity is permitted. Men walk around with a small towel. Some with nothing underneath, but many with underwear on.

Just to be clear: anyone not staying at the resort can still use the facilities for a small entrance fee. Massages are also available and can be booked through reception. Peak cruising time is between about 7 and 8:30 PM. After 9 PM, it completely empties out. So it's a relatively short window to "peak"... Haha.

Even I, as a somewhat chubby 45-year-old man, had some guys interested because there was some touching here and there, especially in the steam room. Sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle. One guy in particular caught my eye. Very cute. From Cambodia but only in Siem Reap for a few days. After we touched each other in the jacuzzi, he invited me to a private room together. He's an eager kisser, too. Very nice.

 

[emiel1981]

21 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

Between five and six, many men entered the resort to use the sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and cruising area.

I wrote this about my experience on Sunday evening. On Monday, however, there was hardly anyone cruising in the sauna and steam room. Tuesday was busy again. Although it started a bit later, it was quite busy from 7 p.m. onward. So it seems that the number of cruises at MEN's Resort varies somewhat depending on the day.

On Grindr, I recognized a guy I'd met in Bangkok years ago, thanks to his distinctive tattoo. He'd been back in his native Cambodia for a while and now lives in Siem Reap where he runs a hair salon. He doesn't actually work as a money boy anymore (he says), but he's willing to make an exception for old clients. And for the reasonable price of $50, he was welcome to come to my hotel room...

By the way, he's not to be confused with another guy discussed here on the forum who also owns a hair salon in Siem Reap (and has a soft spot for older top men). The one with a car and somehow involved with a few gay bars in town. So that's a different guy. Who I know too...

The massage I had at the resort was excellent. You could tell the masseur knew what he was doing. The massages take place in a comfortable, air-conditioned room with a good massage table. A special gay pillow was included, and the table was very comfortable. An hour of aroma oil massage costs $18. From the start, it was clear that the massage takes place in a gay hotel. The masseur's hands graze your buttocks a little more frequently, and even a little in between, than you'd expect in a regular massage shop. The eroticism gradually builds throughout the massage. Finally, it's my private parts' turn, and with a wonderful handjob, I reached a climax. The masseur concluded the massage with a head massage. Of course, I gave a good tip.

MEN's Resort is definitely recommended. The staff is very friendly and helpful, as is the European owner. The hotel can be booked through various booking platforms, and in my experience, you get the best price if you book directly with the hotel. I also arranged airport transfers through them, which cost $35 per ride. On my way back to the airport, I checked the app to see how much it would have cost if I had arranged a taxi through Grab. It would have cost $28. The resort isn't located directly in the center of Siem Reap. But for $1.50, you can take a tuk-tuk or remork (motorcycle with a trailer) to/from Pub Street.

I'm writing this as I'm at Siem Reap airport waiting for my flight to Phnom Penh for another part of my adventures and travel... 

[emiel1981]

39 minutes ago, emiel1981 said:

I'm writing this as I'm at Siem Reap airport

The domestic departures terminal is very small. Check in and security very smooth, but than you end up is small waiting area with only one small shop with limited choice of food and drink. Would have expected a bit more of this new modern big airport. International departures might be a different kind of story, no idea. I would say no reason to arrive at airport 2jrs before flight, as I did... 

Can't use the airport wifi to be on this forum as it's blocked... 😜

[khaolakguy]

2 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

A special gay pillow was included, and the table was very comfortable.

Wondering what a gay pillow would be like? Would it have bite marks like Norman Scott's pillow?

Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott

[PeterRS]

1 hour ago, khaolakguy said:

Wondering what a gay pillow would be like? Would it have bite marks like Norman Scott's pillow?

Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott

The Jeremy Thorpe/Norman Scott scandal enlivined British political life quite considerably. Thorpe had risen to  become leader of the Liberal Party and was well liked around the country. Secretly gay, he had married and had a child to give his chances of higher office greater credibility. After his young wife died in a car crash, he married a pianist named Marion Harewood who had recently been divorced from the Earl of Harwood, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth. Harwood had been having a secret affair which produced a son and this increased the scandal element no end.

Many knew of Thorpe's homosexual trysts but nothing was done about them. With Scott thretening to go publlic about their relationship, it was Thorpe's ego and determination to get rid of Scott that proved his downfall. The way he went about it was the stuff of the cheapest of cheap thrillers. The man hired to kill Scott instead killed Scott's dog. The hired killer was then jailed for two years. But when he came out of prison he sold the whole story to a prominent tabloid which this time did print the it. Thorpe and three of hs associates were then committed for trial at London's Old Bailey in 1979. 

Their trial was another cheap thriller. The judge was clearly biased, totally on the side of Thorpe and scathing in terms of the prosecution witnesses. Unsurprisginly the jury acquitted the accused. The judge was roundly condemned and the satirist Peter Cook produced a much admired video in which he gave his view of the judge's summing up. The vdo cannot be embedded but click and copy the link to see Cook's masterly performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyos-M48B8U

[emiel1981]

2 hours ago, khaolakguy said:

Wondering what a gay pillow would be like? Would it have bite marks like Norman Scott's pillow?

Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott

Oops. That was auto correct going wild. I was suppose to write that the massage take had a head pillow. You know the kind many massage table have, there is a whole in the pillow where you can out your head in.