2 hours ago, vinapu said:

I noticed that when I went up Jomtien Tower or whatever it's called early August , all along Jomtien beach water seemed to be yellow , far from ocean blue. My first thought was " thanks God I'm not a bitch (or is it beach ? ) person"

first thought was " thanks God I'm not a bitch (or is it beach ? ) person"

Could Be both?

1 minute ago, Keithambrose said:

first thought was " thanks God I'm not a bitch (or is it beach ? ) person"

Could Be both?

sure, if need arises

9 hours ago, a-447 said:

These pills are the most popular in Japan for stomach upsets; they've been around for years and are called seirogan.

They are very effective but the smell is overpowering. They stink the whole house out.

Maybe mine are different, no smell, but they do turn your poo black. Mine are called 'activated charcoal'.

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

they are but one thing we need to be aware of , charcoal works as absorbent , taking bad stuff as well as good, so if one is on medications for something else it will absorb them before they may start working.

The charcoal pills in Japan have a warning on the label - not to be taken by 'old people'. 🤣

I think it's because us oldies take various kinds of medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, etc and the pills might stop them from working.

The ones Aaron took must have a coating over them to keep the smell away, but the Japanese ones don't.

They treat medication the same way some people treat cheese - the stinker the better. Some of their 'kampoyaku' - Chinese herbal medicine- makes we want to puke. I'd rather stay sick!

Yeah it was a plastic capsule. 👍

Hello from the dentist waiting area. What services do you guys do over here since it’s way cheaper? This one has great reviews from expats. About $50 is what I’m expecting to play for a cleaning.

3 hours ago, aaroninatl said:

I was wondering that. That was what I paid back in Silom. I guess I'm still thinking in comparison to US prices. $50 in the US would pretty much get you a handshake. One little moment I really loved. And this says so much about the people here... even in "the industry." We both took a shower after our fun. While he was taking his, I put the 200 baht on his clothes. When I got out of my shower, all of his stuff was on. The 200 was still on the table. Had to let him know that was for him.

This thread has introduced so many interesting topics.

Rather than make numerous responses, I'll combine my comments into this long (sorry!) post.

Here in Australia the guys wouldn't even look at you, let alone shake your hand, for $50!

I have 2 truly awesome guys who provide me with 'entertainment' twice a week. With what I pay them I could buy a ticket to Thailand a couple of times a month! And that's with a discount I get for seeing them on a regular basis!

Re: the guys working in the 'industry', I have nothing but respect for them. When I look at myself in the mirror I always wonder how on earth a hot young guy could have sex with an oldie like me. I couldn't think of anything worse. When I was their age it's the last thing I would want to do, no matter how much money I was offered. For one thing, I wouldn't be able to get it up!

I also find them to be friendly, polite and extremely honest. Sure, some of them drive a hard bargain at times, but that's what I would do if I were in their position. Afterall, it's a job. We are seen as rich so they want to get as much as they can. But after the deal is done in the bar or massage parlour, they never push for more after the fun is over.

The only time I've been ripped off was in a massage parlour in Pattaya. Just after I'd left I realised I'd left my watch behind.

I never take anything of value with me but it was only after I was on the flight that I realised I was wearing it. It was a watch I'd bought in Germany and was a little bit expensive.

I rushed back to get it. The owner and the guy I had been with pretended to search for it but they said they couldn't find it. Yeah, right! I had put it on the side table next to the bed.

As it was a result of my own stupidity, I let it go but decided to return the next day and offer them a fairly substantial sum of money in order to get it back, but to no avail. I'm guessing the guy had already sold it - probably for a couple of hundred baht!

Re: tipping. In Japan and Australia, tipping is not the norm. In fact, in Japan it is seen as rude and the money would be handed back.

I think good, friendly service should be rewarded with a tip so I don't mind it - especially if the waiter is particularly handsome. He gets more! 🤣

I had a rather funny experience at the Tarntawan hotel.

I tipped the cleaner after she'd made up my room. A few minutes after she left there was a knock at the door. It was the cleaner and she had another one with her.

'This my friend. Today she have birthday.'

I smiled, wished her a happy birthday and closed the door. 🤣🤣🤣

As for sex with straight guys, I find it a real turn-on. As a top, all my encounters while living in Japan were with gay guys and the thought of topping a straight guy never entered my mind.

My first experience was with a guy called Jack who I met in a bar in the old Soi Twighlight. We had made the arrangement in the bar for him to come back to the hotel, so imagine my shock,surprise and horror when he told me he had to phone his wife to let her know he'd be going with a customer and would be coming home late tonight! WTF??? How is this arrangement going to turn out?

It was wonderful!

The next day he took me to meet his wife who was working at a department store. I ended up buying a large fluffy toy for their baby! And he became my regular off in Bangkok.

Sorry, Aaron for the long post!

I'll keep quiet now. 🤣

2 minutes ago, a-447 said:

This thread has introduced so many interesting topics.

Rather than make numerous responses, I'll combine my comments into this long (sorry!) post.

Here in Australia the guys wouldn't even look at you, let alone shake your hand, for $50!

I have 2 truly awesome guys who provide me with 'entertainment' twice a week. With what I pay them I could buy a ticket to Thailand a couple of times a month! And that's with a discount I get for seeing them on a regular basis!

Re: the guys working in the 'industry', I have nothing but respect for them. When I look at myself in the mirror I always wonder how on earth a hot young guy could have sex with an oldie like me. I couldn't think of anything worse. When I was their age it's the last thing I would want to do, no matter how much money I was offered. For one thing, I wouldn't be able to get it up!

I also find them to be friendly, polite and extremely honest. Sure, some of them drive a hard bargain at times, but that's what I would do if I were in their position. Afterall, it's a job. We are seen as rich so they want to get as much as they can. But after the deal is done in the bar or massage parlour, they never push for more after the fun is over.

The only time I've been ripped off was in a massage parlour in Pattaya. Just after I'd left I realised I'd left my watch behind.

I never take anything of value with me but it was only after I was on the flight that I realised I was wearing it. It was a watch I'd bought in Germany and was a little bit expensive.

I rushed back to get it. The owner and the guy I had been with pretended to search for it but they said they couldn't find it. Yeah, right! I had put it on the side table next to the bed.

As it was a result of my own stupidity, I let it go but decided to return the next day and offer them a fairly substantial sum of money in order to get it back, but to no avail. I'm guessing the guy had already sold it - probably for a couple of hundred baht!

Re: tipping. In Japan and Australia, tipping is not the norm. In fact, in Japan it is seen as rude and the money would be handed back.

I think good, friendly service should be rewarded with a tip so I don't mind it - especially if the waiter is particularly handsome. He gets more! 🤣

I had a rather funny experience at the Tarntawan hotel.

I tipped the cleaner after she'd made up my room. A few minutes after she left there was a knock at the door. It was the cleaner and she had another one with her.

'This my friend. Today she have birthday.'

I smiled, wished her a happy birthday and closed the door. 🤣🤣🤣

As for sex with straight guys, I find it a real turn-on. As a top, all my encounters while living in Japan were with gay guys and the thought of topping a straight guy never entered my mind.

My first experience was with a guy called Jack who I met in a bar in the old Soi Twighlight. We had made the arrangement in the bar for him to come back to the hotel, so imagine my shock,surprise and horror when he told me he had to phone his wife to let her know he'd be going with a customer and would be coming home late tonight! WTF??? How is this arrangement going to turn out?

It was wonderful!

The next day he took me to meet his wife who was working at a department store. I ended up buying a large fluffy toy for their baby! And he became my regular off in Bangkok.

Sorry, Aaron for the long post!

I'll keep quiet now. 🤣

Dude don't apologize! I was smiling reading that whole thing! Hopefully we get to hang sometime. If I get a massage when I'm in Pattaya and the guy's wearing a nice watch, I'm gonna be suspicious.

Just got back from the dentist. No cavities ma! 1000 baht. That's so wild to me. I was even considering veneers while I'm here. Looks like it'd be about $3000... stupid cheap compared to the US. But I don't know. Most of them look so cringy white.

1 hour ago, a-447 said:

The charcoal pills in Japan have a warning on the label - not to be taken by 'old people'. 🤣

Quite randomly I read the explanation for this on another forum just yesterday. Apparently if you have low blood pressure, the exertion of going to the toilet can cause “defecation syncope” or fainting in the toilet, due to overstimulation of the nervous system. If you live with low blood pressure (hypotension) your system adapts to your daily routine but if you have a sudden drop of pressure or there’s anything that causes extra straining in the toilet such as activated charcoal triggering bowel congestion, it’s a medical emergency. Or perhaps the simplest explanation is that it makes old people constipated which is undesirable no matter how you look at it.

On a side note @a-447 I read up about the shark attack you mentioned. Terrifying since it appears the shark was actually out hunting for prey that close to shore. And the ongoing uproar over the kill order issued by the government.

I too will stop derailing the thread now! It’s hard because @aaroninatl’s lively reports open up all kinds of interesting topics.

1 hour ago, aaroninatl said:

What services do you guys do over here since it’s way cheaper?

I usually just get routine cleaning done. I even take my regular guy along since I know for a fact he skimps the brushing when he’s not with me. However I think I need a crown put in on my next trip, which will be my first proper dental work in Thailand. I also considered veneers but I don’t like the part where they shave your teeth down. Thailand does beautiful veneers though so it’s tempting.

Fortunately all the warnings on my little bag of charcoal activated pills were in Thai so clearly they don't apply to me. 😜

“Rainy season” awesomeness. I keep seeing social media posts showing Thailand floods and misery. It’s rained off and on. But it’s never been overwhelming.

1 hour ago, aaroninatl said:

Dude don't apologize! I was smiling reading that whole thing! Hopefully we get to hang sometime. If I get a massage when I'm in Pattaya and the guy's wearing a nice watch, I'm gonna be suspicious.

Just got back from the dentist. No cavities ma! 1000 baht. That's so wild to me. I was even considering veneers while I'm here. Looks like it'd be about $3000... stupid cheap compared to the US. But I don't know. Most of them look so cringy white.

I want to KL in July, specifically for some dental work.

I'd been quoted A$3000 (70500 baht) in Australia. I had the same work done - a crown - for $850 (20,000 baht)!

Years ago I had 2 crowns and a couple of fillings done in Bangkok at a dentist inside Siam Paragon. Three dentists worked on me at the same time, using the latest German equipment. The clinic was very luxurious.

The cost was a third of what I'd pay here.

I'd recommend them but I think they have since moved.

1 hour ago, hank75 said:

On a side note @a-447 I read up about the shark attack you mentioned. Terrifying since it appears the shark was actually out hunting for prey that close to shore. And the ongoing uproar over the kill order issued by the government.

I too will stop derailing the thread now! It’s hard because @aaroninatl’s lively reports open up all kinds of interesting topics.

Ok, just a quick reply.

I've just returned from a walk down to the beach involved. Normally on a Sunday it is full of people just sitting on the sand enjoying the view.

Today the beach was deserted, apart from a group of the victim's friends gathered around the floral tributes. There was lots of reminiscing and lots of tears - including my own.

And it turns out he was a neighbour of mine, although his face is not familiar.

I can't understand why the government wants to hunt down the shark and kill it. We go into their environment, not the other way round.

Lots of Aussies travel to Thailand for the beaches, especially the islands. Koh Samui and Phuket are particularly popular. I've never heard of sharks being a problem anywhere in Asia.

I wonder why? Is the water too warm?

33 minutes ago, aaroninatl said:

“Rainy season” awesomeness. I keep seeing social media posts showing Thailand floods and misery. It’s rained off and on. But it’s never been overwhelming.

My guy who is back in Bangkok working at his bar sends me videos of heavy rain in Silom for past few days. Few customers because of the heavy rain.

25 minutes ago, a-447 said:

Today the beach was deserted, apart from a group of the victim's friends gathered around the floral tributes. There was lots of reminiscing and lots of tears - including my own.

And it turns out he was a neighbour of mine, although his face is not familiar.

I can't understand why the government wants to hunt down the shark and kill it. We go into their environment, not the other way round.

Thank you sharing, it’s very sad indeed. The shark attacks hit home because now the warm weather is back, my friend was just suggesting a sailing trip. Needless to say I’ll be staying off the water for a while.

As for the kill order, I read on another message board (written by someone privy to the decision making process) that it was put in place because while the victim’s body hasn’t been recovered, the shark was sighted with a visible dismembered leg caught on its teeth. The family pleaded for his remains so they had something to bury. All things considered - the proximity to shore, the shark’s intent to hunt, and the possibility of more people seeing the distressing sight of a shark swimming around with human remains protruding from its mouth - they made the difficult call to kill on sight.

30 minutes ago, a-447 said:

Lots of Aussies travel to Thailand for the beaches, especially the islands. Koh Samui and Phuket are particularly popular. I've never heard of sharks being a problem anywhere in Asia.

I wonder why? Is the water too warm?

I’ll keep this brief as I could - boringly - go on all day. The sharks in Thailand are of the more docile and shy variety, rather than the great white or bull sharks found in Australia. Surfing is also a major sport, people even go surfing in famously shark-infested waters in order to chase the perfect reef break.

8 hours ago, aaroninatl said:

The Japanese teacher I was seeing in Bangkok is flying up Saturday so gotta get the bar visits in at some point this week

Wow. Thats something

Last I talked with you guys Bangkok had a pretty substantial lead. Chiang Mai scored MAJOR points today after I finally started wandering around Nimman. If this part of the city is affordable this might be the spot. Wow. I love the vibe. Indy hipster but not dingy. Cute little coffee spots. People smiling everywhere. (Could be said for lots of Thailand I know.) I’ve been roaming around all afternoon and can’t get enough of this neighborhood. The ironic thing is I originally booked my Airbnb here. My memory is terrible so I have no idea why I changed. I love my condo that I’m in, but this area is definitely my favorite of any neighborhood I’ve seen in Thailand so far.

This would definitely be the training wheels way of moving to Thailand. It’s got an upscale western feel.

Currently sipping my 2nd coffee of the day (usually a monthly amount for me) at Roastiniyom. Lots of PLUs as @bkkmfj2648 calls em. Yet it’s not a flamboyant or a tacky gayborhood.

Got a legit massage at Gentle. It was nice. Beautiful facility. Masseur was super cute. Gay friendly but no funny business. There’s a sign in the room that says “no prostitution.” 700 baht. Tipped 100. That’s enough right? I have no idea what you tip a legit masseur. 😆

1 hour ago, spoon said:

Wow. Thats something

Tell me about it lol. He said he wanted to but I didn’t think he would actually do it. I do enjoy him lots. Looking forward to showing him around once I know more cool spots like Nimman. He mentioned there’s a live music place he wants to check out. (He’s a music teacher.) so if anyone has any ideas of spots he might like lmk. 🙏

1 hour ago, aaroninatl said:

Tell me about it lol. He said he wanted to but I didn’t think he would actually do it. I do enjoy him lots. Looking forward to showing him around once I know more cool spots like Nimman. He mentioned there’s a live music place he wants to check out. (He’s a music teacher.) so if anyone has any ideas of spots he might like lmk. 🙏

I don’t know about music but I’ve dropped you a few bars for date night. Actual cocktail bars not go go.

2 minutes ago, hank75 said:

I don’t know about music but I’ve dropped you a few bars for date night. Actual cocktail bars not go go.

Dang it I'm reaction-banned again. I guess spreading too much kindness is frowned upon. Thanks for that list. Yeah certainly going to be gogo-bar free once he arrives lol.

2 hours ago, aaroninatl said:

Dang it I'm reaction-banned again. I guess spreading too much kindness is frowned upon. Thanks for that list. Yeah certainly going to be gogo-bar free once he arrives lol.

Much easier to do that in chiang mai. I concur nimman area is great. Also tried gentle massage before. Legit all male masseur center. But my fav place for massage was chevalier massage nearer to airport. Had legit massage and since the masseur is my type, i asked if he do more and he shyly said yes but just hj. Who am i to say no

11 minutes ago, spoon said:

Much easier to do that in chiang mai. I concur nimman area is great. Also tried gentle massage before. Legit all male masseur center. But my fav place for massage was chevalier massage nearer to airport. Had legit massage and since the masseur is my type, i asked if he do more and he shyly said yes but just hj. Who am i to say no

I kept waiting for a hint of a break in the policy. 😆 I would've cut him off mid-sentence. "For an extra thous-" Me: "YES!"

But I feel great. Super talented masseur.

17 hours ago, a-447 said:

When I look at myself in the mirror I always wonder how on earth a hot young guy could have sex with an oldie like me. I couldn't think of anything worse. When I was their age it's the last thing I would want to do, no matter how much money I was offered. For one thing, I wouldn't be able to get it up!

You said in a previous post that I engaged in one upmanship which isn't true and hurt my feelings.😢 To prove my sincerity, I'm not going to challenge your post above. YOU WIN. 🏳

Good Monday morning from Chiang Mai. Didn't make it out last night so nothing fun to report. After getting home, I spent a good chunk of the evening chatting with you guys and then looking online at apartments in Nimman. To my surprise, rents were not as crazy high as I dreaded. Going to see if I can tour a few this week. What a cool area. Reminds of Poblado in Medellin, Colombia. Thing is when you leave that area in Medellin, conditions and safety take a downturn fast. Even in the poorest areas of Thailand I've walked around, I've never felt unsafe.

One of the things I've been waiting for is to find something I'll miss about the U.S. It's week 4 and I finally found it: Sunday afternoons watching (American) football. Yeah I'm one of those homos that loves sports. After suffering for months with nothing but boring baseball, I've been so looking forward to the return of hockey and football. On Sunday afternoons I usually have 2 or 3 screens going at my place. The time difference is going to be a big obstacle. The Sunday afternoon games start at midnight here. My buddy was willing to FaceTime with me so I could watch but I didn't make it. I was sound asleep by 11:30sh.

I've managed to stay away from finding out who won the Sunday games. Headed to a bar that opens at 8am for expats (and future expats like me) to yell at the screen as if it helps ... 7 hours after the game actually even happened. I do like the idea of no commercials. But Monday morning football... odd. This will be my new life next season.

18 hours ago, aaroninatl said:

I was even considering veneers while I'm here. Looks like it'd be about $3000... stupid cheap compared to the US. But I don't know. Most of them look so cringy white.

don't scratch yourself if you don't feel any itching