Trip Report Bangkok March 2026

[MichaelJay70]

Part 1

Hello gentlemen. I just returned from a weeklong trip to Bangkok. It was my first “leisure” trip there, after going to Thailand for work… I decided to finally go for fun on my own. I actually spent a lot of time researching what I wanted to do, and how to go about it. Thank you to the members of this forum especially @GoldMember, @jimmie50, @jamiebee, @RavenFlock and all of the rest of you. All of the advice and suggestions were perfect.

This is my first trip report on this forum, so I am going to try to do my best to share the type of information that I think may be helpful for others, just like so many of the trip reports that I read before my trip. I hope you are good with the report.

I am a bit of a fancy luxury lover… so I splurged on this trip. Coming from the US West Coast, I booked a trip on Qatar Airways business class in January for my trip in March of 2026. Well we all know how that went. (Thanks a lot 47!) On February 28 (the first day of the war), I contacted my travel agent Amex Travel, and they told me “yeah, no—we don’t yet have any waivers for refunds without a fee for March 22, so sorry”. So, I fired up ChatGPT with my dilemma, and sure enough, ChatGPT monitored the waivers for me… and notified me when I could cancel my Qatar Airways flights for a full refund. In the meantime, I proactively purchased a roundtrip business class ticket on Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong (it was about the same price as the Qatar flights). In the end… I am happy I flew on Cathay. It was extremely pleasant. Hong Kong Airport is a dream to connect—the lounges there are lovely. Arrival in Bangkok was a breeze. Why? Because, I heard all about long immigration lines at BKK—I booked a guided transit host for US$60. This was fantastic. Someone met me at the gate with my name, put me on a golf cart, drove me through the miles of BKK airport, and then passed me off to a guide who walked me through immigration (there was no line—I was the only one there at the fast track VIP immigration booth). Then the guide waited with me at baggage claim and picked up my bags and walked me over to the Grab pickup zone. The whole process from the plane to the curb took less than 25 minutes!! Not kidding, and well worth the $60.00. I arrived at about 11:00AM on a Tuesday. Got in the Grab, and in 45 minutes I was at my hotel, the fancy Park Hyatt Bangkok in Central Embassy, Lumpini. I got upgraded to a fantastic 2 room suite, and it was super fancy. Even though I arrived earlier than checkin time, they prepared my room and had me wait about 30 minutes in the lounge with a nice welcome drink and my room was ready.

I have an Indonesian sugar baby “SB” (a fantastic muscle 35 year old, muscle boy, whom I see a few times a year), who I invited to join me from Jakarta later that week. But the first two days I was on my own.

From all of my research, and from suggestions from you folks especially @GoldMember (who seems to like my  taste in male muscle!), I booked the following directly from his suggestions:

1.      S’Sense Massage: Singha

2.      History of Massage: Sunji

3.      The Residences Saladeang: Kigi

4.      Klover: Trol

5.      TCS Charoenkrung: Ruj

The first night, I visited S’sense. I took a Grab the short 15 minutes from my hotel, and was in Sathon. I had booked Singha about 3 weeks in advance because he was so in-demand. And, Goldmember recommended advance booking. It was easy to book on Line… and no deposit was required. I confirmed the day before. When I arrived, the shop had a lot of people in the lobby. About a dozen therapists in the Sense uniform, along with a few customers waiting for their session. Most of the customers were Chinese tourists (in their 30s and 40s). I was asked to be seated on the couch and a cute young therapist sat down with me to help me select the massage oil scent I wanted, and to fill out the short massage form. I paid the massage fee of 1450 THB for a two hour hot oil massage in cash. My shoes were removed and slippers provided.  I was then escorted to a second story room to wait on a recliner chair in a calm waiting area with another customer, until Singha, my therapist arrived to greet me.

Singha then escorted me up a few flights of stairs to our private massage room. The room had a small shower stall, but no toilet. The room was basic but generally clean. Singha then discussed with me how the massage would work, what pressure would I like, etc. I took a shower, and then laid on the table naked. No sheet or cover was provided. There was a face hole and pillow.

Singha is one of the most popular therapists for a reason. First of all, he is fantastically beautiful. He is just my type: super muscular physique (bodybuilder quality), pretty smooth, only one tattoo, a fantastic smile, and speaks excellent English/is very chatty. He is also an excellent massage therapist for the actual massage. His touch is pretty damn strong, and he really worked me out massage-wise. Very early in the massage, Singha asked me if I wanted the whole Body to Body experience. He quoted me the rate of 900 THB, and I happily agreed. Singha got naked about 30-40 minutes into my 2 hour massage, and gave me the B2B experience… which was amazing. He got up on top of the table and used his whole body on top of mine to massage and rub me every which way. He was completely hard, and he used his cock to fuck my crack, my legs, etc. He flipped me over and gave me oral. At my request, he also let me worship his muscled physique—he was a master at flexing. He erotically, used his flexed biceps to massage my hard cock, and also sat on top of me flexing while fucking my oiled thighs. I was not interested in full anal, and it was not brought up… but if I would have brought it up, I know Singha would have been open to negotiating a higher tip. We both came at almost the same time and Singha cleaned me up. He then continued the massage for another 30-40 minutes, including a great head and shoulders massage. I then took a shower, while Singha excused himself to take a shower as well. I thanked him and provided him with a 1000 THB tip which he was happy about. He asked for my Line to stay in touch, and I shared it with him.

After the massage, he hugged and kissed me, and then he walked me to the lobby where he served me tea and provided me with a cookie. While I was enjoying my tea, several Spanish speaking women were escorted from the massage areas to the lobby to receive their tea and cookies… so it seems that this place is popular with not only men, but women too. I was asked by Singha if I would use my phone to grab a QR code and provide a Google review, which I was happy to do, since I was deeply appreciative of this first visit to a BKK gay massage place and Singha. I would definitely rate this one a 10/10.

I headed back to the fancy Central Embassy mall where my hotel is located, and enjoyed an Thai dinner at the mall’s food court, which was delicious.

Ill post more about the rest of my visit in other posts.

[mixskin]

Can't wait to read the rest..😜

[Kiwi306]

Oh wow. Thank you so much.

Singha will be a must have on my next trip to Bangkok.

Waiting expectantly for the next update.

[jamiebee]

I’m really jealous of you right now 😭.

My trip to the LOS got canceled because of the situation here in the Middle East.

Getting a massage at S’sense is definitely on my to-do list on my return this June👍👍👍

I’m excited to hear more about your trip! 🥰

[MichaelJay70]

Part 2

The next day, I was free until late that evening when SB (my Indo sugar baby muscle boy) was to arrive from Jakarta. I used the day time to enjoy the super posh Park Hyatt pool deck on the 9^th floor, which is stunning. The deck has a saltwater infiniti pool and terraced sunbed areas. Great personalized service at the pool, which is also connected to the breakfast restaurant, La Marina, which is excellent. The breakfast was included in my rate, and it had a nice buffet of hot and cold items, but you could also order off the menu. They had western and Thai items. One of the items that I really enjoyed was a “Mango sticky rice French toast”. Wow… yes, its really a fusion of western and Thai, but it worked—delicious. The barista made coffee here is amazing. I really enjoyed the Coconut Long Black iced coffee. After my morning breakfast and time at the pool… it was time to go get some sexy massage time. This time, I booked at History of Massage.

History of Massage was really close to my hotel, so I decided to take the BTS Skytrain directly from my hotel (BTS Phloen Chit) there. History is located very close walking distance from BTS National Stadium station. I wanted to buy a stored value Rabbit card to be able to access public transit easily. I tried to buy my Rabbit card at Phloen Chit BTS station, but apparently, I have a newer US Passport, that has more modern technology than older versions. Not all BTS stations can actually read these passports I was told. They nicely checked, and the National Stadium BTS station did have the special readers, so I bought a regular ticket, and went  to National Stadium station, and I bought a Rabbit card and added 600 THB to the card so I would be able to use it a lot. You have to make sure you bring your physical passport in order to buy the Rabbit card. (thanks to this forum, I saw a member share that tidbit).

I walked in the super hot March sun from National Stadium BTS to History of Massages which is just about 10 minutes walk from the station. It is located in an upscale retail and dining complex called Stadium One (there is a nice gym, coffee shops and restaurants here as well). History of Massages is on the second floor of Stadium One. I walked into the shop, and there was no one at the front desk. Just a small clipboard on the desk with the massage request form on it with my name and time written in. I booked my massage at the very moment that the schedule opened for him—about 10 days beforehand. They required a full prepayment via card, and I prepaid the 1790 THB in advance for the 90 minute massage—arguably on the expensive side for BKK gay massage. I sat down, and within a few moments, a receptionist greeted me and provide me with a cold towel, and some cold tea.

I was then greeted by Sunji. Wow… he is stunning. They do not show his face on their website, but he is very model-handsome. He is also older than most massage therapists—I would say he is in his late 20s to early 30s. Sunji walked me to the massage room. This place is very clean, and very posh. The massage room was basic… but tastefully modern. There is only a shower in the room, no toilet. In fact, the toilet is outside of the shop in the Stadium One complex. Sunji speaks English, and discussed with me what kind of pressure I would like and if I had any requests. I told him that I had a massage yesterday, and I was pretty worked over—I would prefer a softer massage that was more sensual. He smiled and we started… he asked me to take a shower, and then lie on the table. He excused himself and returned. They use a very light sheet covering at History. Sunji first used the sheer sheet to pat me down and dry me further from the shower. I picked the hot oil aromatherapy massage, and Sunji complied with my request for soft and sensual. It was super great. I could tell Sunji had massage skills, but this was more sensual than massage. He often would caress his hands between my ass and balls, softly flicking places he knew would be sensual to me. After the first 45 minutes of our 90 minute session, he turned me around and started on my front—very sensually massaging my arms, chest, and legs. I then asked him about extra services… I didn’t wait for him. He then explained that he had two options: 1. He would be shirtless and do a HJ—for 2000 THB or 2. He would be fully naked and do a B2B massage with HE for 4000 THB. I picked option 1.

Actually option 1, was far more than I expected. I told Sunji that I knew he was one of BKKs most famous and hottest muscle massage therapists, and that I booked him weeks in advance. And that I loved to worship beautiful muscle men. I asked if I could worship his flexing muscles and this really revved him up. Sunji stripped out of all of his clothes, and was immediately hard when I was worshipping his flexing body. I cannot tell you how hot and beautiful this man is. Completely smooth, no tattoos, and pure muscle. He jumped up on to the table and straddled me while he was flexing, and playing with my cock. He poured some of the hot oil onto his chest and I rubbed it all over him. Periodically, he would bend over and kiss me. He gave me a very hot HJ happy ending. He then toweled me off, and continued the massage by giving me a great sensual neck and head massage. He asked me to take a shower, and he excused himself. Afterwards I provided him the 2000 THB tip and he hugged me and then took me to the lobby and offered me tea and cookies. I left there very happy.  I would definitely go back to History and have Sunji or some of the other beautiful men there service me. I would rate it 9/10.

After my visit to History, I went back to the hotel to wait for SB to arrive from the Airport. He texted me when he arrived and it took about 2.5 hours for him to clear customs, get his luggage and Grab it from the BKK airport to the hotel on a Wednesday afternoon at 4PM.

After he came upstairs, we both showered together in the huge multi-person sized shower at the hotel, and then proceeded to have a fantastic sex session. SB is a mid-thirties, super muscular gay Indo man. He is short, but his body is a work of art. He has an amazing ass and a relatively perfect sized cock for me. I met him in Singapore in 2018 after hiring him for a one hour sesh via Rentmen. Since then we have had a loose Sugar daddy/baby relationship where we travel together on these types of trips. SB knows BKK well, as he also goes to BKK for White Party, Songkran and all of the gay circuit party stuff. We had a great evening—he took me Dusit Central Park Mall in Silom, via BTS Sala Daeng. We enjoyed dinner at Kub Kao Kub Pla. During dinner, we sat next to famous gay Thai social media personality, Charlie Withayachamnankul (@Charliebralie on IG), which was fun to listen to him chatter on with his gaggle of faghags he had with him. After that… SB wanted to walk me through Patpong market and the gay areas of Silom. We decided on not visiting any of the bars or shows, and headed back to our hotel.

A pretty great day.

More to come in part 3.

[ToTheCore]

Great reports.  Thank you.  

Both Singha and Sunji, highly trained, beautifully muscular and VERY popular requiring well advanced booking at relatively upscale massage houses. 

Yet one B2B experience is quoted at 900 THB and the other at 4000 THB !?!? 

I'm aware of ALL the wild variations in BKK pricing but what is the disconnect here?  

[MichaelJay70]

Part 3

After a nice morning of wake up sex with a lot of muscleworship scenarios including posing oil! SB and I went down to the fancy breakfast at La Marina in the Park Hyatt Bangkok. I loved the iced coconut iced long black coffee there!

We decided to go visit the MBK Center to buy some replica luggage. We took the BTS to National Stadium and walked directly into the MBK Center—a fantastic mall filled with a lot of crap, and some small pockets of hidden values. They also have a really good and cheap food court. After wandering the stalls, we found what we were looking for, a luggage shop where we could whisper to the shop owner, that I wanted to buy replica Rimowa luggage from the Rimowa “molds”. After chatting up the guy and his wife, he took us to a back room to show us the ill-gotten gains I was seeking. Yep, they looked and felt just like Rimowa polycarbonate essential product line (the pricing for real Rimowa is about US$1225 for the L check in bag, $1125 for the M check in bag, and $975 for the cabin bag. I bought an entire set of all three, PLUS, I got the trunk bag which is usually $1550. All together, with the help of my Indonesian SB, who is a master negotiator, we got the entire set for 10000 THB (about US$300). Since these replicas have replica Rimowa markings on them, I was nervous about sending them back through shipping, etc. So I decided to check these bags back as checked luggage on my flight back. (in the end, there was no problem, at the airport in BKK or upon my arrival in the US). I was happy for this experience.

After lunch, SB went to the Park Hyatt gym for his workout, and I got in a grab and went to the Residences Saladeang for my massage appointment.

The Residences is one of the fanciest places I went. It is in a very nice office building with a security officer. You tell the officer you are there for the Residences, and he will send you to the elevator to take to the Residences. Upon entering the lobby of the Residences, you are greeted by very friendly receptionists, who checked me in and offered me cold tea and a cold towel. While waiting for my therapist, I noticed a few customers coming in and out, as this facility also has a café and a sauna available for customers and what seems to be members who can come in and out.

I reserved Kigi about 10 days in advance, as he is in high-demand. I reserved a 90 minute aromatherapy hot oil massage.

Kigi (pronounced “Kai-GEE”) was probably the most physically beautiful man I met in Thailand last week. As some on this forum have said, he has the face of a boy, and the body of a man. He looks like a Thai BL TV star. In his Residences uniform, which was a black polo and those really sexy wide leg pants that highlight his tight waist and ass, he greeted me and took me into the room. The room at the residences is large, but only has a shower stall, no private toilet. Kigi does not speak English except for a few words. I used the translator app to describe what I was looking for in the pressure, etc. He barely responded.

I showered, and then climbed onto the table which had a face hole and a sheer sheet to cover up. Kigi came back in the room and started the massage. The massage was basic, and not great. I could tell however, that both Kigi and Sunji may have been trained on a similar technique (Sunji was a better therapist), and as I understand, the Residences and History of Massages (as well as Klover), are owned and operated by the same owner. About an hour into the massage, I was asked to flip over… but I told Kigi that I needed to use the toilet… he motioned to the shower in the room and told me to just go into the shower and pee. I guess this was okay (as there was no robe in the room to use to go to the restroom down the hall), but I felt as if it was a bit un-luxurious for such as supposed luxurious place. After showering off again, Kigi towell-dried me and then I jumped back onto the table. It was then when we moved to the extras… Kigi did not discuss extras proactively, but I did—and I told him that I was interested in exploring his muscled physique and having a great HE. He smiled and indicated he understood. No mention of tips was discussed.

He took off his shirt, and WOW, he had a sleeper physique. If you saw him on the street, you wouldn’t know that this man was a competitive bodybuilder. He was incredibly beautiful. And, he loved to show off… that model-like face was beaming with smiles as he flexed and allowed me to fully worship his body. He periodically leaned down to caress and kiss me all over. He took off his pants and showed off a super sexy thong he was wearing and teased me with pulling it down. He has a nice super-sized cock for a man that looks so young… but wow. He got hard and stroked for me. Giving me a nice HJ while smiling and looking deep into my eyes speaking in Thai really got me. After I finished, he laughed with delight, and cleaned me up. He told me via the translator that we had 15 minute left on our time, and was there anything else he could massage for me. I asked for a head and neck massage. He did this rather poorly—not a great massager, but during this time, we attempted to speak in English. I learned that he has been a competitive bodybuilder for several years, worked as a full time personal trainer, and only part time (a few days a week or a few hours per day) at The Residences. I mentioned that I went to History the day before, and he smiled and explained that yes, they are the same owner. We spoke about his diet (no rice, no noodles, lots of eggs, fish, chicken, and some vegetables). I gave Kigi a 2000 THB tip which seemed to be very exciting to him.

He hugged me, and then served me hot tea and cookies in the room.

Overall… Kigi is an amazing specimen of man. He is not the greatest massage therapist.. but who cares? I rate Kigi a 6/10 with 100% of the rating going to his physical stature and his demeanor. If you want to have one of the most beautiful men in Thailand get naked with you—this is the place.

I headed back to the hotel, and SB and I had a nice evening—we wandered over to a quiet lounge in Central Embassy for a quick bite. We went back to the hotel and SB initiated making out and sex—but I had already cum with Kigi just a few hours earlier… so I didn’t come. This made SB a bit annoyed and jealous of my visiting so many gay massage places?!?  The next day I told him that I would take him to Klover with me for a massage—I had already booked in advance at Klover for myself with a popular therapist, but I messaged Klover and asked if I could add an additional booking for a body scrub and massage combo which SB said he would be interested in. I did this, and SB told me he would go “for me”, but he was nervous about it since he has never had a gay massage before  (hahahaha). Anyway… more to come on how that went in my next post.

 

[MichaelJay70]

23 hours ago, ToTheCore said:

Great reports.  Thank you.  

Both Singha and Sunji, highly trained, beautifully muscular and VERY popular requiring well advanced booking at relatively upscale massage houses. 

Yet one B2B experience is quoted at 900 THB and the other at 4000 THB !?!? 

I'm aware of ALL the wild variations in BKK pricing but what is the disconnect here?  

Thanks for the feedback on my reports.

Yes, I agree, the pricing at these places is weird. I think, Singha just doesnt really know what he could potentially get if he just asked. I didnt really explore this, but my assumption is that S'Sense is not positioned as the most upscale, "elite" gay massage places in Bangkok. I honestly think if Singha asked for 2000-3000 THB for what he offers, he would get little friction, but how would I know? Maybe the people who go regularly to S'Sense would not find that a fair price. There are a LOT of Chinese tourists that go to S'Sense --that I noticed. Maybe they are more price sensitive than others. But, the quality and reputation of Singha, at a place like the Residences, History of Massages, etc. would no doubt get him lots more money. He may have a relationship with the owners, a comfort with the shop, etc. Who knows... but I can tell you this-- he really seems to enjoy his job, or he is a super great actor (or both!)

[Kiwi306]

I was interested in your comment about a lot of Chinese tourists going to S'Sense, as I understand that they do not tend to "off" boys from the bars, but just go for the show.

[PeterRS]

On 4/5/2026 at 2:43 AM, MichaelJay70 said:

I wanted to buy a stored value Rabbit card to be able to access public transit easily. I tried to buy my Rabbit card at Phloen Chit BTS station, but apparently, I have a newer US Passport, that has more modern technology than older versions. Not all BTS stations can actually read these passports I was told. They nicely checked, and the National Stadium BTS station did have the special readers, so I bought a regular ticket, and went  to National Stadium station, and I bought a Rabbit card and added 600 THB to the card so I would be able to use it a lot. You have to make sure you bring your physical passport in order to buy the Rabbit card. (thanks to this forum, I saw a member share that tidbit)

As an insight into Thai thinking, when the Rabbit stored value card was first issued there was a limit of Bt.4,000. Maybe the same now, I have no idea. But the reason given for having a passport copied was "to avoid money laundering!"

[Patanawet]

4 hours ago, PeterRS said:

As an insight into Thai thinking, when the Rabbit stored value card was first issued there was a limit of Bt.4,000. Maybe the same now, I have no idea. But the reason given for having a passport copied was "to avoid money laundering!"

I recently went to use my Rabbit card and was told it needed renewing. I protested (politely)  that it was barely a year since I renewed it after it's 7 year validity expired.  "Oh, it's all changed now -- renewal is annually".
Oh shit I thought, I'd renewed my passport since then and NEVER carry the original with me.
Luckily I had tatty B/W copies of new and old with me --- and they sufficed.
This was at Saphan Thaksin skytrain station.

I've recently read that 'soon' all ticketing will be combined skytrain/subway/busses and only via a phone app. No more physical tickets!
But then, how many years have I been reading this in the local press?

[floridarob]

9 hours ago, MichaelJay70 said:

Yep, they looked and felt just like Rimowa polycarbonate essential product line

How are the wheels on those, I'm in need of new luggage... always had Eagle Creek with the heavy duty wheels...have an Osprey brand waiting for me in Singapore airport, also heavy duty wheels but haven't seen it in person ...yet.

[mauRICE]

51 minutes ago, Patanawet said:

I've recently read that 'soon' all ticketing will be combined skytrain/subway/busses and only via a phone app. No more physical tickets!

I don't mind carrying a card as long as it's one card for all the public transportation networks. Thanks for the update @Patanawet.🤞

 

[PeterRS]

2 hours ago, Patanawet said:

II've recently read that 'soon' all ticketing will be combined skytrain/subway/busses and only via a phone app. No more physical tickets!
But then, how many years have I been reading this in the local press?

I had heard about the possibility of the Rabbit card and the MRT cards being merged. But there was a problem in that seniors get half price on the MRT and the Skytrain was not prepared to accept that. I do have the half price card and understandably would prefer not to give it up. 

[Enchanted_Elixir]

13 hours ago, MichaelJay70 said:

Thanks for the feedback on my reports.

Yes, I agree, the pricing at these places is weird. I think, Singha just doesnt really know what he could potentially get if he just asked. I didnt really explore this, but my assumption is that S'Sense is not positioned as the most upscale, "elite" gay massage places in Bangkok. I honestly think if Singha asked for 2000-3000 THB for what he offers, he would get little friction, but how would I know? Maybe the people who go regularly to S'Sense would not find that a fair price. There are a LOT of Chinese tourists that go to S'Sense --that I noticed. Maybe they are more price sensitive than others. But, the quality and reputation of Singha, at a place like the Residences, History of Massages, etc. would no doubt get him lots more money. He may have a relationship with the owners, a comfort with the shop, etc. Who knows... but I can tell you this-- he really seems to enjoy his job, or he is a super great actor (or both!)

You’re circling something real here, but I think the frame needs tightening.

What you’re reading as “weird pricing” is less about Singha leaving money on the table, and more about how different shops in Bangkok deliberately position themselves within a very segmented market. Ssense is not trying to be everything to everyone. It sits in that middle lane, and quite intentionally so.

Ssense caters to both a local Thai clientele and a steady foreign crowd. Younger Chinese book Singha or Knott and take photos with them, and they all end up as a review on RedNote. This composition matters. Local regulars anchor the business. They expect consistency, discretion, and predictable pricing. It is also gay-owned and operated, and you can feel that in how the place is run. There is a fairly strict sense of quality control, both in terms of who they hire and how services are structured. Supplementary services are not a free-for-all. Prices are set by the shop, and that removes the whole negotiation dynamic you see elsewhere. No haggling, no awkward calibration mid-session. You either accept the menu or you don’t. For many clients, that clarity is part of the appeal. No H services are provided officially by the shop.

So yes, could Singha charge 2–3k in a different setting? Probably. But at Ssense, the pricing is not his to float. It follows a standardised band that aligns with similar shops in that category. It is set by the shop and therapists are not allowed to diverge. That’s the trade-off. Stability, volume, and a controlled environment over maximising individual upside per client.

In terms of positioning, I wouldn’t call Ssense “upscale” if you’re comparing it to places like Titan or Prestige. Those lean harder into a curated, almost boutique experience, with pricing to match. But Ssense is noticeably fresher and better managed than older venues like Chaichana or Green. It feels current. Clean lines, younger roster, tighter operations.

Where your comparison with History of Massage is useful is in highlighting the contrast in business models. History runs a much looser system. No mandated central tip level, and the guys can present options directly. That opens the door for higher earnings per session, but also introduces variability. The massage itself is often not the headline product there. Let’s be honest. You’re paying for physique, for presentation, for the aesthetic labour that goes into those gym-built bodies. It’s a different value proposition.

Ssense, by contrast, sits closer to what places like The Signature Massage aim for. More structured. More service-led. Less transactional improvisation.

Stepping back, Bangkok’s gay massage scene is highly stratified. You’ve got budget walk-in shops, mid-tier hybrids like Ssense, physique-driven venues like History, and then the more premium, almost spa-like environments. Each comes with its own pricing logic, client expectations, and internal rules.

So the question isn’t really whether Singha could earn more elsewhere. It’s what ecosystem he prefers to operate in. Some guys optimise for margins. Others for consistency, volume, and a workplace they’re comfortable in.

In that sense, the market is working exactly as designed. Pick the segment that suits you, and the pricing starts to make a lot more sense.

[Enchanted_Elixir]

12 hours ago, Kiwi306 said:

I was interested in your comment about a lot of Chinese tourists going to S'Sense, as I understand that they do not tend to "off" boys from the bars, but just go for the show.

Offing boys from bars is a niche activity, and will be more difficult to sustain without a predictable supply of boys from neighbouring countries. Asian tourists, and locals, often prefer the massage experience, as evidenced by the large and highly segmented number of massage shops in Bangkok and the fierce competition between them.

If the Chinese like a venue they will promote it on RedNote and they will often pose together with their favourite masseur.

[MichaelJay70]

10 hours ago, floridarob said:

How are the wheels on those, I'm in need of new luggage... always had Eagle Creek with the heavy duty wheels...have an Osprey brand waiting for me in Singapore airport, also heavy duty wheels but haven't seen it in person ...yet.

The wheels seem to be durable and well built, but alas, time will tell. I have only had these for a week, and they are in-fact, replicas... which could mean that the wheels could fall off on my next trip  But, so far-- they "seem" to be okay. I have an authentic Rimowa case, and I compared the replicas to the real one, and the wheels seem almost identical. On my authentic Rimowa, I have not had a problem with the wheels, and I have owned it for 9 years. The places where wheels get the most damage potential is actually in the airline baggage handling... I have only ever had wheel problems and breakage, on luggage that has been mishandled at the airport by rough baggage handling, and I have had a TravelPro bad once have a broken wheel when my bag arrived at the luggage carousel after a short trip between Santiago, Chile and Mendoza, Argentina on LATAM Airlines.  

 

[MichaelJay70]

5 hours ago, Enchanted_Elixir said:

You’re circling something real here, but I think the frame needs tightening.

What you’re reading as “weird pricing” is less about Singha leaving money on the table, and more about how different shops in Bangkok deliberately position themselves within a very segmented market. Ssense is not trying to be everything to everyone. It sits in that middle lane, and quite intentionally so.

Ssense caters to both a local Thai clientele and a steady foreign crowd. Younger Chinese book Singha or Knott and take photos with them, and they all end up as a review on RedNote. This composition matters. Local regulars anchor the business. They expect consistency, discretion, and predictable pricing. It is also gay-owned and operated, and you can feel that in how the place is run. There is a fairly strict sense of quality control, both in terms of who they hire and how services are structured. Supplementary services are not a free-for-all. Prices are set by the shop, and that removes the whole negotiation dynamic you see elsewhere. No haggling, no awkward calibration mid-session. You either accept the menu or you don’t. For many clients, that clarity is part of the appeal. No H services are provided officially by the shop.

So yes, could Singha charge 2–3k in a different setting? Probably. But at Ssense, the pricing is not his to float. It follows a standardised band that aligns with similar shops in that category. It is set by the shop and therapists are not allowed to diverge. That’s the trade-off. Stability, volume, and a controlled environment over maximising individual upside per client.

In terms of positioning, I wouldn’t call Ssense “upscale” if you’re comparing it to places like Titan or Prestige. Those lean harder into a curated, almost boutique experience, with pricing to match. But Ssense is noticeably fresher and better managed than older venues like Chaichana or Green. It feels current. Clean lines, younger roster, tighter operations.

Where your comparison with History of Massage is useful is in highlighting the contrast in business models. History runs a much looser system. No mandated central tip level, and the guys can present options directly. That opens the door for higher earnings per session, but also introduces variability. The massage itself is often not the headline product there. Let’s be honest. You’re paying for physique, for presentation, for the aesthetic labour that goes into those gym-built bodies. It’s a different value proposition.

Ssense, by contrast, sits closer to what places like The Signature Massage aim for. More structured. More service-led. Less transactional improvisation.

Stepping back, Bangkok’s gay massage scene is highly stratified. You’ve got budget walk-in shops, mid-tier hybrids like Ssense, physique-driven venues like History, and then the more premium, almost spa-like environments. Each comes with its own pricing logic, client expectations, and internal rules.

So the question isn’t really whether Singha could earn more elsewhere. It’s what ecosystem he prefers to operate in. Some guys optimise for margins. Others for consistency, volume, and a workplace they’re comfortable in.

In that sense, the market is working exactly as designed. Pick the segment that suits you, and the pricing starts to make a lot more sense.

You are an excellent explainer of what a complex environment the Bangkok massage "industry" is. Yes... it is very stratified, and yes I agree with you on all of these points.

And, I also agree, that after visiting 5 of these places over the last week-- I really liked the way S'Sense operated. No, it was not the most luxurious, but I did feel as if it was tightly, and well managed. From the regular communications starting at booking to the end. I liked it, and Ill definitely be back.

Thanks for sharing your analysis. Very interesting.

[hank75]

19 hours ago, MichaelJay70 said:

that I wanted to buy replica Rimowa luggage from the Rimowa “molds”

This is quite simply a brilliant idea that never occured to me. I’ve always admired Rimowa’s sleek design without wanting to pay the associated price tag, all the more since I’ve heard from friends that the newer lines of Rimowa are just as easily damaged as cheaper brands. Do you by any chance remember which shop this was?

[MichaelJay70]

4 minutes ago, hank75 said:

This is quite simply a brilliant idea that never occured to me. I’ve always admired Rimowa’s sleek design without wanting to pay the associated price tag, all the more since I’ve heard from friends that the newer lines of Rimowa are just as easily damaged as cheaper brands. Do you by any chance remember which shop this was?

Well, it <could> be brilliant if they last  But, for the money I paid, I think it was worth the gamble. So, far-- I am impressed.  I dont have a name of the shop (they dont give you a written receipt for replicas-- and its all cash)... but this place is a luggage shop on the main floor that is on the same level as the entrance to the BTS National Stadium station.  It is a husband and wife that run the shop and it is one of the few 100% luggage shops in the mall (the others have some luggage, and other merchandise). Sorry, I didnt get the name of the shop or the shop owners. But, the trick is to go in and browse at any of these shops, and then suggest that you are looking for replicas, and ask if they have any suggestions on how you could get these. (Replicas are not displayed or marketed on the floor-- you need to ask, and they will bring you back to where they have them).

[Patanawet]

10 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I had heard about the possibility of the Rabbit card and the MRT cards being merged. But there was a problem in that seniors get half price on the MRT and the Skytrain was not prepared to accept that. I do have the half price card and understandably would prefer not to give it up. 

Oh, I thought that the 50% 'ELDER' rate on the underground was  discontinued last year?
I  too have the 'ELDER' card but not had to use it recently.

[Travelingguy]

I am hoping that the MRT and Skytrain can both be used with simple contactless credit card.  They can have separate discount cards for people who qualify.  That would be the most efficient way to do this, particularly when dealing with as many tourists as Bangkok sees.