khaolakguy Posted June 15 Posted June 15 Glad that you had a good time. Thanks for the entertaining reports. Quote
Min Posted June 15 Posted June 15 3 hours ago, jason1975 said: I had a wonderful 2 weeks holiday. I will go back to work and slog and earn money for the next trip. You still have to work? I thought you would just sell a gold bar or a house and then go again 😁 Kidding aside, as someone who now works mostly online, I can travel to Thailand as frequently as I please. But unfortunately not Laos After my fifth or sixth trip to/from Vientiane, Vietnam customs started giving me a hard time whenever I flied back. It seems Laos is considered a hot route for cocaine smuggling. Ruthrieston and bkkmfj2648 2 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 15 Author Posted June 15 12 minutes ago, Min said: You still have to work? I thought you would just sell a gold bar or a house and then go again 😁 Kidding aside, as someone who now works mostly online, I can travel to Thailand as frequently as I please. But unfortunately not Laos After my fifth or sixth trip to/from Vientiane, Vietnam customs started giving me a hard time whenever I flied back. It seems Laos is considered a hot route for cocaine smuggling. Can't you just say that you have a Laos wife? 🤣 vinapu and bkkmfj2648 2 Quote
Keithambrose Posted June 15 Posted June 15 1 hour ago, jason1975 said: Can't you just say that you have a Laos wife? 🤣 Or husband! Ruthrieston and unicorn 1 1 Quote
ichigo Posted June 15 Posted June 15 Thanks for your reports, Jason! I always enjoy hearing about your adventures! zoomomancs 1 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 15 Author Posted June 15 I went to Bangkok just to experience Pride Parade on Sunday 31 May. I was expecting Pride related decorations in the month of June but it seemed a quiet affair. Only some places displayed the Pride flag. a-447, BL8gPt, bkkmfj2648 and 1 other 4 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 15 Author Posted June 15 There is a coffeeshop on soi 3 named La Cabra which always has a queue outside. The bread and pastries are prepared fresh every day behind the payment counter. I only had coffee there once last December and it was ok for me. There were no queues last year. The queues only started this year. Successful advertising and branding campaign? vinapu 1 Quote
vinapu Posted June 15 Posted June 15 4 hours ago, ichigo said: Thanks for your reports, Jason! I always enjoy hearing about your adventures! +1 always feeling jealous reading about other's adventures Travelingguy 1 Quote
floridarob Posted June 15 Posted June 15 1 hour ago, vinapu said: +1 always feeling jealous reading about other's adventures and bigger tippers? Quote
vinapu Posted June 15 Posted June 15 4 hours ago, floridarob said: and bigger tippers? I'm not competitive Travelingguy and floridarob 2 Quote
Popular Post jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Popular Post Posted June 16 A forum member sent me a message "U seem to be enjoying the two week more than when you are with your bf lol" I thought about the message and I agree. When my guy is around, it is more difficult to off other guys. I feel guilty that he is working while I am flirting at other bars (typically with other forum members). What makes things even worse is when he has no customer. He cannot stand it when his friends at bar tease him and ask where I am. Yet when I off him, I have to think of things for us to do together (we can't have sex all the time!) During this trip, I offed Music Guy 5 times, Handsome Guy 3 times and Tall Guy once. Music Guy is sort of a substitute for my guy. They are similar in many ways (but he doesn't play chess) and my guy knows I like Music Guy very much. I keep my guy updated every day about who I meet. The guys in the bars also know about my relationship with my guy. They know I won't off them if my guy is around. Because of this very reason, they were keen to meet me. They were the ones who sent me messages every evening. Music Guy is a rogue but he is fun. He asks for additional taxi fare home. He also asks to meet in daytime for lunch and he was specific in choosing to eat Korean BBQ. Of course, after lunch, we definitely ended up shopping (we were at Centralworld after all) and I don't regret buying him original Adidas shoes from official Adidas store compared to the copy Balencigia-Underarmour shoes that he wanted at Patpong shoe shop a few nights ago. spoon, FunFifties, BjornAgain and 4 others 7 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 When I am in Bangkok sitting with the guys, I smoke with them because it's expensive to smoke in Singapore! A pack costs equivalent of 450 baht. Thai cigarettes cost 70 baht. I don't actually buy cigarettes from 7 Eleven. I just smoke whatever the guys are smoking and they offer me. The Viet guys bring in cartons of cigarattes from Vietnam when they enter Thailand. They prefer the stronger taste and flavour. Vietnam cigarettes cost only 18,000 dong which is equivalent of 20 baht! BL8gPt, FunFifties, BjornAgain and 1 other 4 Quote
Popular Post macaroni21 Posted June 16 Popular Post Posted June 16 13 hours ago, jason1975 said: I went to Bangkok just to experience Pride Parade on Sunday 31 May. I was expecting Pride related decorations in the month of June but it seemed a quiet affair. Only some places displayed the Pride flag. Meanwhile, here in communist-party Vietnam, capitalist invader Starbucks hoisted this at one of the busiest intersections in Saigon. floridarob, Ruthrieston, bkkmfj2648 and 2 others 5 Quote
floridarob Posted June 16 Posted June 16 2 hours ago, jason1975 said: original Adidas shoes from official Adidas store compared to the copy Balencigia-Underarmour shoes that he wanted at Patpong shoe shop a few nights ago Made in the same place perhaps, lol 2 hours ago, jason1975 said: I smoke with them because it's expensive to smoke in Singapore! Expensive to smoke period....look at the pics on the cigarette pack 😧 Quote
Popular Post jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Popular Post Posted June 16 Besides meeting great guys at night, I did a lot of exercise during the 2 weeks. The pool at the condo is just 2 floors above. Less than 1 minute walking distance. Every morning after breakfast, i spent an hour in the pool. In the evening, I was at Lumpini Park. The mass aerobics exercise is really fun. Anyone could join in for free and I felt so welcomed without being judged for my novice clumsy movements. I got better at following the aerobics moves with each subsequent session. Even when aerobics was cancelled, Lumpini Park is still a good place to jog and walk and there's so much eye candy! My guy says he's happy that I am exercising every day. He says that when he is in Bangkok and I visit, we can exercise together every evening. khaolakguy, TMax, ichigo and 6 others 9 Quote
bkkmfj2648 Posted June 16 Posted June 16 2 hours ago, macaroni21 said: Meanwhile, here in communist-party Vietnam, capitalist invader Starbucks hoisted this at one of the busiest intersections in Saigon. I found that Starbucks initiative for Gay Pride in Vietnam to be very interesting - as my impression after living in Da Nang for 4.5 months last year was that gay life and gay rights were still somewhat suppressed and stigmatized. So, I had to ask Grok (take its response with a grain of salt) to see if the Vietnamese communist government has shifted towards a more positive attitude towards the acceptance of gay life and gay rights within its borders: =========== Grok response below =============================== No, the Vietnamese government has not undergone a major shift in attitude toward gay pride or LGBTQ+ rights as of mid-2026. While public acceptance has grown and some symbolic or health-related reforms occurred earlier, core legal limitations persist, and there were notable setbacks in 2025. The Starbucks "Shine with Pride" campaign (a June Pride Month promotion with rainbow-themed items and messaging like "Love Wins") reflects commercial and cultural visibility in urban areas rather than a national policy change. tiktok.com Key Legal and Policy Status (as of 2026) Homosexuality has never been criminalized in modern Vietnam. Same-sex activity is legal, and people can serve openly in the military. Same-sex marriage or unions: Still not recognized. A 2015 reform removed penalties for same-sex ceremonies and lifted an explicit ban, allowing symbolic weddings, but couples get no legal protections, inheritance rights, or adoption benefits. A draft bill for broader recognition was delayed/removed from the agenda in 2024–2025. en.wikipedia.org Gender recognition: Transgender people can change legal gender after surgery (per 2015 Civil Code amendments), with some updates to ID processes. A draft Gender Reassignment Law has been under discussion, potentially allowing more rights from 2026 onward, but it remains stalled as of early 2026. en.wikipedia.org Health policy: A significant 2022 Ministry of Health directive declared that being LGBTQ+ "is entirely not an illness," banned conversion therapy, and instructed medical staff to treat people with respect without discrimination. This aligned Vietnam with WHO standards. theguardian.com Public support for same-sex marriage has risen steadily (around 65–67% in recent Pew and PAPI surveys), and urban areas (especially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) show visible LGBTQ+ scenes, media representation, and events. en.wikipedia.org Recent Developments and Setbacks In late 2025, Ho Chi Minh City canceled its major Pride march and several other LGBTQ+ events, raising concerns about a potential tightening under the Communist Party—possibly tied to leadership changes or broader controls on assemblies and civil society. Hanoi events were scaled back but not fully canceled, suggesting the moves may have been local rather than a uniform national reversal. Activists noted fears of regression, though no sweeping new anti-LGBTQ+ laws emerged. dw.com As of 2026, Pride-related activities continue in some form, and commercial campaigns like Starbucks' are allowed, indicating tolerance for visibility in consumer and cultural spaces. However, the government maintains a cautious, control-oriented approach: it avoids strong endorsement of "Western-style" identity politics while not actively persecuting LGBTQ+ people. Societal stigma, family pressures, and discrimination (especially in rural areas or schools) remain issues. outrightinternational.org In summary: Vietnam is relatively progressive in the region compared to some neighbors (no criminalization, health depathologization, growing public support), but it has not shifted to full embrace of gay pride or rights in 2026. Legal equality (especially marriage) lags, and 2025 event cancellations highlight ongoing limits on organized advocacy. The Starbucks initiative shows commercial openness in cities, not governmental transformation. Progress has been incremental and uneven, with the one-party state prioritizing stability over rapid social change. Ruthrieston, vinapu and BjornAgain 1 1 1 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 When I visited forum member at Quarter Silom one morning, he showed me the brand new currency exchange machine next to hotel reception. You can insert foreign currency into the machine and out comes Thai baht 24 hours. Of course the exchange rate is not good but it's convenient for hotel guests who realise they don't have enough thai baht at 1:00 am. FunFifties, vinapu, bkkmfj2648 and 1 other 4 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 From my interactions with guys in the bars, I found out that there were sometimes situations where customers didn't have enough Thai baht to pay. One guy proudly showed me a Hong Kong 500 dollar bill (equivalent to 2000 Thai baht) that a customer recently paid him with. On the subject of currencies, I believe many guys at the bar would have accumulated bank notes in a variety of currencies (e.g. US$, Euro, yen) given as souvenirs from customers for them to remember them. Until their next visit! BL8gPt and zoomomancs 2 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 When Music Guy and I were at Centralworld, we saw the shrines outside. We also saw many ladies praying with roses in their hands. According to popular belief, praying with 9 stalks of red roses will enable a person's prayer for love to come true. It is even said that the most auspicious time to offer prayers is Thursday at 9:30pm! When I explained the belief to Music Guy, he shrugged. He is Catholic and of course I know. He always prays and says "Amen" before meals. Ruthrieston, zoomomancs and 10tazione 3 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 3 hours ago, floridarob said: Made in the same place perhaps, lol I don't remember where the copy was made in. But Music Guy had a good laugh when we saw that the authentic Adidas shoes had been made in Vietnam - his home country! jamiebee, zoomomancs and Ruthrieston 2 1 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 16 hours ago, vinapu said: +1 always feeling jealous reading about other's adventures I can't wait to read about your next trip! Quote
a-447 Posted June 16 Posted June 16 6 hours ago, jason1975 said: When I am in Bangkok sitting with the guys, I smoke with them because it's expensive to smoke in Singapore! A pack costs equivalent of 450 baht. Thai cigarettes cost 70 baht. I don't smoke in Australia because none of my friends do and I don't want my house to stink of cigarette smoke. However, I do when I'm travelling. (I'm looking forward to my trip next week to Kuala Lumpur where I can enjoy a smoke while sipping on a beer). In Thailand, I like to sit in the smoking area where the gogo boys gather and get up close and personal with them. They are always so friendly. If I'm standing behind a guy in 7/11 who is buying cigarettes, if he is cute I'll learn over and pay for them. The smile I get in return is well worth it. In Australia a packet of cigarettes is about 1000 baht!!!! So at the moment there is a huge problem work shops everywhere selling illegal ones for around 500 baht. So much so that many shops and supermarkets no longer sell legal cigarettes. In Western Australia they are now cracking down on illegal sellers and they get closed down for 90 days if caught. And it seems to be working. jamiebee 1 Quote
jason1975 Posted June 16 Author Posted June 16 1 hour ago, a-447 said: In Thailand, I like to sit in the smoking area where the gogo boys gather and get up close and personal with them. They are always so friendly. Me too! I am a leisure smoker. I also enjoy smoking with the guys and chatting with them. I also give them Japanese cigarettes (Mevius) that I buy as a carton duty-free from airport. They appreciate the cigarettes because they are different and they find them exotic. Quote
vinapu Posted June 16 Posted June 16 5 hours ago, jason1975 said: It's good to have a choice but with those rates, if pressed for cash I'd go to nearest ATM , even at 3 a.m. Quote
vinapu Posted June 16 Posted June 16 4 hours ago, jason1975 said: From my interactions with guys in the bars, I found out that there were sometimes situations where customers didn't have enough Thai baht to pay. One guy proudly showed me a Hong Kong 500 dollar bill (equivalent to 2000 Thai baht) that a customer recently paid him with. On the subject of currencies, I believe many guys at the bar would have accumulated bank notes in a variety of currencies (e.g. US$, Euro, yen) given as souvenirs from customers for them to remember them. Until their next visit! my experience also. One of guys showed me his , quite impressive, collection and it included escudo of Cape Verde, now famous because 0:0 draw with Spain. Even small nation's nationals seem to have fun in Bangkok Quote
