emiel1981 Posted Saturday at 11:29 AM Posted Saturday at 11:29 AM On 8/6/2026 at 12:39 PM, spoon said: It has been almost 7 months—seven long months—before I finally started making plans for my next trip. Good to read you finally made it back to Bangkok! Enjoy your time there! I will be going back to Thailand last weekend October / and into November. Quote
spoon Posted Saturday at 11:37 AM Author Posted Saturday at 11:37 AM 28 minutes ago, jason1975 said: If Malaysians continue going to Thailand and spending more and more, it could be a possibility. Why not. As long as not involved in any scam or criminal activity. Actually we are just below china on the number of tourist to thailand last year. But i guess that figure is inflated, because of cross border activities Quote
jason1975 Posted Saturday at 12:34 PM Posted Saturday at 12:34 PM 1 hour ago, spoon said: Its google ai mode in the chrome browser. So i guess gemini? I am impressed that AI has come this far. To be fair to AI, I only do one simple prompt and did not bother to fix the details that were wrong. But yes, after using them for a while, you can basically detect AI language, certain words used are definitely a giveaway thats only AI will use, and some clear mistake were done as well like there is no indication that CN were aggressive, and yet, it was added by AI.. Yes, it made Dreamboy guy into such a bad person. I hope you don't get personal messages from anonymous forum members asking who is the guy for whatever reason. I believe the guy made promises to you because he has not been offed for some time and he wanted to secure an off badly. Travelingguy and Ruthrieston 2 Quote
jimmie50 Posted Saturday at 10:32 PM Posted Saturday at 10:32 PM 11 hours ago, emiel1981 said: I will be going back to Thailand last weekend October / and into November. Sorry that I will miss you. I will be in Southeast Asia during that time, but not Bangkok. Plan to be in Cambodia 9/5-12/2. That should come as no surprise to anyone. lol. BjornAgain and khaolakguy 2 Quote
spoon Posted yesterday at 05:32 AM Author Posted yesterday at 05:32 AM 16 hours ago, jason1975 said: Yes, it made Dreamboy guy into such a bad person. I hope you don't get personal messages from anonymous forum members asking who is the guy for whatever reason. I believe the guy made promises to you because he has not been offed for some time and he wanted to secure an off badly. So far no one asked who he is. I wouldnt write him off myself either. Because up until he told me he had to leave earlier, the session was nice. Maybe his excuse might have been legit, albeit unlikely... Anyway, it will be a while before i take him again. Im not against giving someone a second chance. vinapu 1 Quote
spoon Posted yesterday at 05:33 AM Author Posted yesterday at 05:33 AM 18 hours ago, emiel1981 said: Good to read you finally made it back to Bangkok! Enjoy your time there! I will be going back to Thailand last weekend October / and into November. Thanks. Already back home and working unfortunately lol. Havent plan my next trip yet but I will have to use my leaves before year end lol emiel1981 1 Quote
spoon Posted yesterday at 05:34 AM Author Posted yesterday at 05:34 AM 18 hours ago, khaolakguy said: I think that the title of this thread wins my award for the most engaging this year! Sorry to see the thread soiled by AI. Hope it won't be repeated....... Thanks. Its not really original but a parody of a title of a book lol Quote
jason1975 Posted yesterday at 07:05 AM Posted yesterday at 07:05 AM 1 hour ago, spoon said: Thanks. Its not really original but a parody of a title of a book lol What is the book's title? What is the book about? Quote
jason1975 Posted yesterday at 07:06 AM Posted yesterday at 07:06 AM 1 hour ago, spoon said: Thanks. Already back home and working unfortunately lol. Havent plan my next trip yet but I will have to use my leaves before year end lol I am going again in December during Christmas time, in case you want to know! Quote
jason1975 Posted yesterday at 07:07 AM Posted yesterday at 07:07 AM 1 hour ago, spoon said: So far no one asked who he is. I wouldnt write him off myself either. Because up until he told me he had to leave earlier, the session was nice. Maybe his excuse might have been legit, albeit unlikely... Anyway, it will be a while before i take him again. Im not against giving someone a second chance. You have a kind heart and willing to give others a second chance. Quote
10tazione Posted yesterday at 07:15 AM Posted yesterday at 07:15 AM On 8/8/2026 at 7:51 AM, vinapu said: Deepsick ? Deepthroat! bkkmfj2648 1 Quote
jason1975 Posted yesterday at 07:43 AM Posted yesterday at 07:43 AM AI is powerful! I was curious about the power of AI so I sent ChatGPT links to all the trip reports I wrote in 2025 and 2026 and ChatGPT could quickly give a summary and analysis! Quote
spoon Posted yesterday at 11:16 AM Author Posted yesterday at 11:16 AM 4 hours ago, jason1975 said: What is the book's title? What is the book about? The subtle art of not giving a f*ck Quote
jason1975 Posted yesterday at 11:35 AM Posted yesterday at 11:35 AM 17 minutes ago, spoon said: The subtle art of not giving a f*ck Ah. I have seen that book at bookstores at airport but never felt inclined to pick it up and browse the pages. Quote
emiel1981 Posted yesterday at 11:43 AM Posted yesterday at 11:43 AM 4 hours ago, jason1975 said: I am going again in December during Christmas time, in case you want to know! Only in December? Reading about all the times you have a (quick) visit to Bangkok I would expect you to return earlier than December... Quote
vinapu Posted yesterday at 12:47 PM Posted yesterday at 12:47 PM 2 minutes ago, jason1975 said: AI is powerful! I was curious about the power of AI so I sent ChatGPT links to all the trip reports I wrote in 2025 and 2026 and ChatGPT could quickly give a summary and analysis! That's scary. Imagine some moral crusader minister having a go at such powerful tool. floridarob 1 Quote
spoon Posted yesterday at 02:43 PM Author Posted yesterday at 02:43 PM 7 hours ago, jason1975 said: You have a kind heart and willing to give others a second chance. With second chance, it can be very rewarding. Some of my best regulars were not so great on our first encounter but second and the rest was absolutely enjoyable. bkkmfj2648, jimmie50 and vinapu 3 Quote
Popular Post spoon Posted yesterday at 02:46 PM Author Popular Post Posted yesterday at 02:46 PM Chapter 2: Happiness Is a Solution I went back to sleep once my guy left and checked out around 3pm ish, which is the benefit of being a member of this hotel chain. I moved to my next hotel, closer to Silom, but still not in the Silom ghetto. Except for my last night at Pullman G, none of my hotels are in Silom. The first two hotels in my trip are new hotels (Metropolis Suites Bangkok and Conrad Bangkok) I'm trying this trip, and so far I really like these two hotels, and so do my nightly companions. I was upgraded in all my hotels this time, perks of coming in the low season, I suppose, and there was no issue getting a late checkout until at least 2pm, and up to 4pm for my first and last hotel. This wasn't a big issue anyway, as my rooms were ready for check-in earlier than the standard 3pm check-in in both cases. I have lounge access for most of my trips except for my first hotel, but they did give me one drink voucher. The lounges usually have afternoon tea (2–4pm) and happy hour (5–7pm). My third hotel was a repeat, Hilton Grande Asoke. After settling down in the new hotel, I made my way to X-One to change some cash. I always bring my local currency and exchange it here for the best rate. There was practically no queue. I went to Prime Massage afterward for my customary massage. This time, I chose a 1-hour foot massage and a 1-hour head and shoulder massage for 750 baht. I had to wait 15 minutes for my masseur but was escorted inside the massage area immediately. Now my arrival ritual has been completed lol. I went back to my hotel for the happy hour and rested a bit before making my way back to Silom and Midnight Bar. I stopped by and bought a drink, waiting a bit before showtime in the bar. My fav waiter was there, so I bought him a drink as well. He asked if I knew how to play checkers, and I said yes, so we had a few games before I made my way to Hotmale to see their offering and the 11pm show. When I entered, the customers were sparse, maybe one or two others besides me. Suffice it to say, it was not enough for them to do the show. It was a Saturday night, so it was kinda sad really. None of the guys on stage appealed to me either, though I could see one or two that might appeal to my fellow forum members. After confirming with the mamasan that there would be no show, I made my way to my next bar, Good Boy. When I entered Good Boy, they were right in the middle of a show. The bar was full, so I was ushered to a seat near the stage, further from the entrance, where mostly boys were sitting. Not long after, familiar faces started to greet me with a wai, asked me for drinks, and of course Mamasan Tee and another friendly mamasan came to me asking for my drink order and if there was anyone I liked. And amongst the familiar faces, there was a guy I didn't see on my last trip, as I had heard that he went back to his hometown. He was the obvious choice tonight, so I called him over for a drink and we chatted a bit to catch up. He told me he had just come back to work for 2 weeks, having been away from the scene for 7 months or so since last November. He immediately told me his interest for an off and asked how long I'll stay this trip. Not jumping the gun this time, I confirmed a few things with him before calling the mamasan for an off. Let's call him VB. Once he changed into his street clothes, I told him I was waiting for a friend who was coming to Bangkok and arriving soon. He knows this friend, so we sent him our selfie. Around 12:30am, my friend arrived, and we stayed in the bar until the late-night shows ended. My friend also bought a guy a drink, and it didn't take long for him to also off the guy. We went to the famous Foodland for supper and retired to our hotels for the night. Yet another repeat guy, proven quality, and the reunion was great! He stayed until breakfast, and I went back to sleep after he left. 18past19, vinapu, Travelingguy and 7 others 10 Quote
jason1975 Posted 16 hours ago Posted 16 hours ago 12 hours ago, spoon said: The subtle art of not giving a f*ck I asked ChatGPT for a summary. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a self-help book by Mark Manson that argues you shouldn't try to stop caring about everything. Instead, you should be very selective about what you care about. The central message is: You have limited time, energy, and attention. Spend them only on things that truly matter to you, and stop worrying about things that don't. Some of the book's key ideas include: Accept that life is difficult. Problems are a normal part of life, and trying to avoid them often creates more suffering. Choose your values wisely. Focus on values like honesty, growth, responsibility, and kindness rather than popularity, wealth, or constant happiness. Take responsibility. Even when something isn't your fault, you are responsible for how you respond to it. Embrace failure. Mistakes and setbacks are opportunities to learn and improve. Stop seeking constant positivity. The book argues that it's healthier to acknowledge negative emotions than to pretend everything is always fine. Be comfortable saying no. You can't please everyone, so it's important to set boundaries and prioritize what's meaningful to you. Despite the title, the book isn't about being rude or indifferent. It's about: Caring less about trivial opinions and distractions. Caring more about your goals, relationships, and principles. Accepting that you can't control everything, but you can control your choices and attitude. In short, the book encourages living a more intentional, resilient life by focusing on what genuinely deserves your attention. PeterRS2 and Ruthrieston 2 Quote
jason1975 Posted 16 hours ago Posted 16 hours ago 8 hours ago, spoon said: And amongst the familiar faces, there was a guy I didn't see on my last trip, as I had heard that he went back to his hometown. He was the obvious choice tonight, so I called him over for a drink and we chatted a bit to catch up. He told me he had just come back to work for 2 weeks, having been away from the scene for 7 months or so since last November. He immediately told me his interest for an off and asked how long I'll stay this trip. Not jumping the gun this time, I confirmed a few things with him before calling the mamasan for an off. Let's call him VB. Once he changed into his street clothes, I told him I was waiting for a friend who was coming to Bangkok and arriving soon. He knows this friend, so we sent him our selfie. Around 12:30am, my friend arrived, and we stayed in the bar until the late-night shows ended. My friend also bought a guy a drink, and it didn't take long for him to also off the guy. We went to the famous Foodland for supper and retired to our hotels for the night. Yet another repeat guy, proven quality, and the reunion was great! He stayed until breakfast, and I went back to sleep after he left. VB is one of the loudest and fun guys I met. I offed him only once and it was two year ago. Lean body and great abs. Unfortunately, I prefer the other guys in Good Boy so I never offed him again. But I bought him drinks and tipped him whenever I went to his bar. Quote
floridarob Posted 14 hours ago Posted 14 hours ago 14 hours ago, emiel1981 said: Only in December? Reading about all the times you have a (quick) visit to Bangkok I would expect you to return earlier than December... He's been with @vinapu enough, I'm sure he'll adapt the same calendar. 11 hours ago, spoon said: the benefit of being a member of this hotel chain. I moved to my next hotel, closer to Silom, but still not in the Silom ghetto. I've stayed at hotels outside Silom/Suriwong and have status and preferential rates/upgrades having been a GM of hotels in my life.... I'll almost always stay at Tarntawan for the convenience even though it's about what I pay at a Hilton flagged property, getting to/from Silom to those other hotels are a pain in the ass, so easy to walk out the door and be in the middle of the action practically.... I've been to the Meridian with friends that have more money than brains, it's nice.... I just can't justify the price difference though, and I love the people at Tarntawan, plus I'm not a lawyer 😉 ichigo and vinapu 2 Quote
spoon Posted 14 hours ago Author Posted 14 hours ago 8 minutes ago, floridarob said: getting to/from Silom to those other hotels are a pain in the ass Its not so bad with grande asoke as it is close to bts, and I make use of the shuttle to bts in conrad. Going back to hotel, always took taxi anyway since there is two of us and almost no traffic. Cant deny that Raya hotel used to be my go to, and will like use it for longer trip during high season. But for me to keep my current status, need to do some nights within the chain lol. floridarob 1 Quote
jason1975 Posted 13 hours ago Posted 13 hours ago The Raya was my favourite hotel because of room size and glass shower. I would now stay at Raya only for old time's sake and sweet memories. For long stays, I prefer airbnb. For weekend stays with my guy, my current favourite is Quarter Silom. We used to stay at 56 Surawong during weekend trips but now I like the gym and breakfast at Quarter. All cheaper than Le Meridien which I can no longer afford to stay in. Quote
floridarob Posted 12 hours ago Posted 12 hours ago 1 hour ago, spoon said: need to do some nights within the chain lol. Think I'll end the year with about 125 nts, with them from what I have on the books. And not exclusive with them, I'm a whore with airlines, hotels and men, a loyal whore I've been told by some 👼 spoon, ichigo and PeterRS2 3 Quote
PeterRS2 Posted 11 hours ago Posted 11 hours ago 13 hours ago, spoon said: I went back to sleep once my guy left and checked out around 3pm ish, which is the benefit of being a member of this hotel chain. Just a general question. Being a member of a hotel chain clearly has its perks as you and others have pointed out. But I wonder if you ever try to use your hotel points for free stays? We all know that airline and hotel loyalty schemes have changed quite dramatically over the last 10 years, partly a result of covid. In February 2019 I used Marriott points to stay at the lovely Marriott on Phu Quoc during the high season. That required 120,000 points for 4 nights with a 5th night free. Now the points required for a similar stay are 280,000. I see from Marriott emails that while the chain usually offers 20% or 30% off purchasing points, I recently had one offering 40%. Given the number of points now required for more up-market hotels, that still does not sound like a good deal. In the first year of covid they offered 70% off which I purchased. But following covid the free room rates had gone up so much even that was not a good deal. I recently transferred these points to airline miles. Of course the number of miles required have also gone up but not quite as much. When I was working for decades in Asia I accumulated tons of hotel and airline points. And made very good use of them. Now that I travel considerably less, the Marriott perks are nice but I generally prefer to travel on the basis of price to be paid. Quote