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Pre-Christmas days – My Time with Old Faithful I was kind of bummed about the turn of events with Diego. I could have just faked it, and would have gotten the benefits of having an attractive and sexy companion at the apartment, who didn’t mind my sauna visits, and gave me the love and attention that only a Brazilian can. But one must not toy with actual feelings and emotions, as some of us here in this forum sometimes forget: that the boys are capable of having feelings in the first place. But I am reminded that I am in Rio de Janeiro, and if you find yourself lonely in Rio, it is your damn fault. So I message Lucas, the stallion I went out with in this post, to accompany me for a couple of days. Lucas checks so many boxes (young, handsome, tall, lean-muscular, super hung), but the one thing you can rely on him is that he is one of those perfect boyfriend-for-hire guys that can give you the boyfriend experience that you would want. He has known me for a few years now so he knows how to deliver it for sure. And the perfect thing is, there are no strings attached, and I can get all the love and attention a love-smitten boyfriend would shower me with, for an oh-so-worth-it price of 400 reais a day. That is 69 dollars in today’s exchange rate. Even the price is perfect lol. Lucas arrives a little after 2 PM on this Monday. He hugs me warmly when he gets to the apartment, still towering over me with his 6’4 wonder. He tells me that he needs to get in the shower real quick because he was sweating profusely to and from the Metro, and it was a scorcher at almost 90 degrees today. After 5 minutes he got back to me, just in his skimpy briefs, all fluffed and hard. After all this time with him, I have now him well-trained. He is game for just about anything I throw at him, and he admits that he allows some things to happen with me that he usually doesn’t with others. I have seen him evolve through the years, from my first programa with him being satisfactory but mechanical, to him evolving to a sensual, passionate friend. And we catch up again, giving me updates about his pandemic and programas and his day job. He was the first people I met up with on my first weeks back in the pandemic when Brazil reopened, and I must hand it to him, he has weathered this pandemic with a combination of keeping his day job, enough fixed clients to keep him afloat, and actually being busy because of his appeal. His Instagram is usually full of trips around Brazil and even to other countries (that still accept Brazilians). He is doing just fine. He also cums like faucet, which is always a sight to see. He also has no pretenses with accompanying me to the sauna. And since it is Monday, with 117 closed, it was 202 for us today. As we get our keys, we get a preview of 202’s holiday schedule: I have told Lucas that while he is in the sauna with me to keep company, he can get customers too if anyone fancied him. Why not, since I will be trying to get some boys to have some fun anyway, might as well be efficient and get Lucas some work. But Lucas said no. He said he is not in the headspace to build the inertia to sell himself in a sauna setting, as it has been a while since he has done it, but also because he just hates 202, and never really want to go here to sell himself. So as we settle down to our seats by the stage area, I notice that the sauna is slow, like it always seems to be on a Monday night. There were probably 5 clients I can see, and double that the amount of boys, and none of which I felt I got to have right away. Invariably, this happens when my present arm candy at the sauna is hotter than all the boys in the sauna. I tend to compare them to the one I am with at the moment. Thank goodness at least, there was a show today: Some minutes before the show started, I notice a tall young moreno in gym wear. You know, Nike shorts, Nike t-shirt and Nike tennis shoes. Not really in a towel like the rest of the boys. He was sitting at a table across from us, idly looking at the current people milling about, not really approaching anyone. He would drift in and out of sleep sometimes, and finally laid down on the bench and closed his eyes. His shirt hiked up a little bit, and his long legs draped on the floor. Nice abs, long legs. Could be something. I guess maybe he was trying to make a sale with me but was trying this way. He did stand out because he was fully clothed. I tell Lucas to see if he can talk to the boy and get him to sit with us. And indeed, the boy does. He sits right next to me as Lucas sits on my opposite side. He asks for beer. He seems aloof. After I pry a few more words out of him, he warms up. Tells me about where he is from. He tells me his age (young!) and then tells me a few more details about him that makes me realize that he is a little bit more going for him than I initially thought. I am the soul of discretion so I will not divulge here those details. But they were every bit as juicy and as interesting as this boy is turning up to be. After the show (great drag queen and great strippers), I have him get a suite for us. As I take the boy upstairs, Lucas assures me that he will be fine just waiting at the table, chugging his beers and talking to some of the boys who knew him. At the suite, the boy disrobes and heads to the bathroom with no comment, to shower. Unfortunately... he ended up probably the worst programa I have ever had in Brazil. And yes I am counting that time a boy shat on my dick while I was inside him and he was sitting on me at Sauna Olimpo in Belo Horizonte. This boy didn’t have the passion, nor the hard dick, nor the anything else that could even make me cum, let alone hard. He just went through the motions, hoping it would be over soon. And what a pity. He was very cute, with a rocking bod. But looks will only take you so far, and for me, it was not far enough. 150 reais. It was the agreed upon price. Back at the apartment I tell Lucas about the programa. He told me that he sensed that the guy was going to be a dud, but didn’t say anything. And Lucas, being Lucas, made it up to me, even if he didn’t need to. He rocked my world that night. Tuesdays however, are great at 117. I guess this was their best night, right? And they have stuff planned for the holidays: And inside was indeed festive. It was definitely a fry cry from the slow 202 yesterday. The place was packed with wall-to-wall muscle that I just can’t contain my excitement. Lucas was amazed too, and didn’t realize that 117 could be this busy again. “Maybe I should start going back to sauna work again.” He tells me. And indeed it was busy for him too. There were a number of clients roaming the halls of 117. The place was alive and ready for Christmas. I should probably be spreading some Christmas cheer around here, and by cheer I mean cold hard reais. And the boys didn’t waste time. No sooner than Lucas and I sitting down at the smoking area, one of those typical 117 muscle gods approached me. I have never seen him before, here or in any other sauna. His name was Anderson, and he was a white Brazilian. He was about 5’10, late 20s, and has the classic, most probably steroided, muscular body. The chest was insane, and abs for days, and he was wearing stylish gym shorts that definitely made him stand out from the other steroided gods milling around. I ordered beer for him, and over a course of his beer, he proceeded to tell me what he would do to me if he got me into a suite. I’ve never heard this kind of sell job before, but it was working. After his second beer, I take him to reception to get a suite key, condom and lube. After 10 minutes of waiting, and the line behind us was growing, we get our suite. He wasted no time and he takes off all his clothes. Yowza, the cock definitely is Brazilian. He kissed very well for sure, but soon he was shouting orders at me. “Suck my dick!” “Rim my ass!” “Stroke my balls!” He certainly wanted to get worked on. And he was pretty dominant as well. Not my thing, but if a muscular god was doing this to you, you just do it. He managed to get me to bottom for him, and it was actually pretty good. Towards the end, he asked if I wanted him to cum. I said yes. Took the cost up to 300 reais, but what the heck right? Came a little, probably has cum once before today. Totally worth it. I got back to Lucas in time for the show to start. Overall, it was a pretty festive Christmas-y show, with two strippers and three drag queens. The room was standing room only and everyone was having a good time. While the show was going on, I notice a younger muscular guy trying to get my attention. He looked nice and all, but once he caught me looking at him, and he immediately smiled. Wow, that smile. 1000 watts. He knew that was one of his strong suit for sure, apart from his giant biceps and chest of course. I wave a hand to motion to him to sit with me. Rodrigo. Prazer. He asked for a Heineken. He smelled amazing up close. And weirdly enough he liked smelling me for some reason. After acknowledging Lucas, he drew close, put my left leg on top of his right leg, and spent the rest of the show entwined with me. At the group drag show at the end, I ask him if he could get a suite for us, in case there was a line. 15 minutes later he gets back with the keys and condoms. He takes my hand and leads me to the suite in the basement level. He takes off his towel, and he helps me out of my clothes as well. His body is amazing, and his tan was popping except for a tan line in the shape of a skimpy speedo. That was hot. We spent some time standing up, kissing each other, necking and sucking nipples, jerking each other off. We spent some time in that position, all the while making small talk about our lives. It helped that he was close to my height. He agreed to bottom, and preferred getting on all fours as a first position to get used to it. After which we do it missionary style, my favorite because of easy access to kissing and to my bottom’s cock. But of course the number once reason to do it in this position was I can see his oh-so-pretty face. It was pretty. He smiled a lot. I came buckets with just the sight and sensation of this guy. 200 reais. Overall, I’d say that this is as good as I’ve ever seen 117 in a while. Great choice of guys, with satisfying sex, and great overall sauna atmosphere. Lucas even said he had fun, and it didn’t seem that he was waiting for me finish my programas at all. We have midnight pizzas delivered at the apartment. He came in my mouth to wash the pizzas down. Next… Christmas!!!

Hi Oz, Having read that you are a bit picky in your hotel choice would you rule in or rule out the hotels on yhis list? The Glamorous Gay Hotels of Bangkok Babylon Gay Hotel Babylon is the only exclusively gay hotel of Bangkok and is truly a gay mecca, a slice of paradise where you can spend time with other gay travelers and enjoy the views around the communal areas. Although it’s in the middle of a commercial district, you’ll feel like you’re miles away from the hustle and bustle with the luscious gardens and classy design (including some pleasingly muscled statues!). There are plenty of spaces to unwind in; not just the gardens, but restaurants and a sauna area as well. Who knows who you could meet in the Jacuzzi? There’s a friendly, communal atmosphere and you’ll be surprised by how many new friends you’ll end up making. If you do choose to retreat to your room, you’ll find a pleasingly designed space that could be budget barracks or a spacious suite; it all depends on your budget. Urbana Sathorn This is a contemporary and comfortable oasis of calm in central Bangkok. The suites are sheer indulgence with floor-to-ceiling windows where you can gaze out onto the sparkling city. The location is ideal for sightseeing; then once your day is done you can retreat to the hotel and enjoy food at the on-site Amontre Restaurant. The team working here are friendly and accommodating, so you’ll feel 100% welcome for the whole of your visit. Hotel Muse Decorated with rich, dark wood furniture, low lighting and marble bathrooms, this luxurious hotel is one of the most glamorous unofficial gay hotels in Bangkok. It’s so sumptuously designed that you feel you need to dress up to match, which we don’t necessarily object to! There’s a 24-hour reception and all amenities are available – fitness center, dry cleaning, tour desk and a choice of restaurants. It’s a decadent sanctuary that will ensure you have a holiday to remember. The W Bangkok Expect sheer extravagance, gold accents and bathrooms as big as an apartment back home from the W in Bangkok. You know with a W hotel that you’re guaranteed an enjoyable and completely comfortable stay and this one does not disappoint. We love the contemporary design of the rooms and communal spaces. Facilities are modern and there are plenty of places to relax in after a hot day exploring the city. Stay here on a romantic couples’ holiday, or bring a date back to impress them! SO Sofitel Bangkok The stunning design of this 30-floor hotel is inspired by the five elements of the natural world: earth, wood, metal, fire and water. We love the clean lines and elegant touches in the rooms, all of which have baths and rain showers. Continuing the nature theme, the spa is designed as a magical forest and is a soothing space away from the traffic and bustle of Bangkok. No wonder this is such a popular choice with gay travelers – it’s tough to ever leave! The Sukhothai The perfect oasis of calm, the Sukhothai is a green paradise with a huge infinity pool and plenty of space to lounge around it. If you do drag yourself away to see the city, you’ll find a lot of the main attractions nearby. The design is inspired by traditional Thai interiors, with teak furniture and smooth wooden floors. There’s nothing traditional about the amenities, though – all of the technology in your suite is state of the art and designed for the comfort of the guests. Speaking of comfort, you’ll find even more at the indulgent spa area. Sala Rattanakosin With only 17 rooms, this is a more intimate option; many of our recommended gay hotels of Bangkok are big and impressive, but this one has a select and secluded feel that we love. While it might be further away from the city center, its riverside location is charming and you are close to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The monochrome rooms are sleek and tasteful and every comfort has been thought of – you will lack for nothing. The rooftop bar continues the black and white theme and is the ideal place to start your evening. A cocktail and a view of the sunset over Bangkok equal sheer perfection! Shanghai Mansion This unique hotel is the height of glamor with interiors inspired by 1930s Shanghai. It was actually a Chinese Opera House and the Thailand Stock Exchange before being renovated as a hotel in 2005. While we all enjoy minimalist chic, sometimes it’s nice to stay somewhere colorful and lux and the Shanghai Mansion offers exactly that. There are four-poster beds and silk galore; the soaking tubs in the bathroom and the velvet sofas in the public spaces then add further to the exotic glamor. This hotel is perfect for people who love the finer things in life; you will also find jazz and delicious food at the Red Rose. Well Hotel Bangkok This hotel is all about wellness and relaxation, so it’s the perfect sanctuary from the chaos of the city streets. Gay hotels of Bangkok need to be places travelers feel fully comfortable, and the Well Hotel is definitely that. The neutral palette and clean lines of the rooms combine perfectly to sooth your mind and the swimming pool is spectacular. It’s a great place to float around before heading out for the night. One of our favorite things is the warm welcome and exceptional service. Mode Sathorn Hotel The rooftop swimming pool at this 4-star hotel is its main attraction; the infinity edge that seems to disappear into the Bangkok skyline and there are inbuilt lounge areas in the water. If that isn’t relaxing enough already, then head to the sauna instead! Everything that guests could possibly want is provided, from twenty-four-hour room service to a free grocery shopping service. There is also a choice of restaurants and bars on the premises should you want to stay in for the night. If you don’t, you’ll find all the best gay nightlife just a short walk away. Hilton Inn Express Sathorn If you would like high-quality accommodation with a lower price tag, consider staying at the Hilton Inn Express. It doesn’t feel like a chain, though, due to its fun artwork and modern design features. You’re right next to the Sky Train so Bangkok is yours to explore, and there’s a free breakfast to fuel up for the day ahead. It’s a good hotel for business, but there’s plenty of pleasure to be had too and the rooms are fully equipped, clean and up-to-date. You can walk to bars nearby and the international clientele means that gay travelers are very welcome here. Pullman Hotel G The all-white rooms at this 5-star hotel are so fresh and bright you practically need sunglasses! We love the clean feel of it, and the fun and modern design. It’s great to sit in your room and watch the sun go down over the city, before walking to the nearby gay bars. Enjoy the outdoor pool and the selection of restaurants on site – it offers guaranteed good food in a beautiful setting. Guests rave about the impeccable service and the best part is, it’s surprisingly affordable. Enjoy the holiday of a lifetime in one of these places – and you’ll keep heading back over and over again!

I read many pundits claiming that Hong Kong wold become the model for Taiwan returning to the embrace of the mainland. Deng Xiao-ping's one-country-two-systems model that is enshrined in law and registered at the United Nations promised Hong Kong a large degree of autonomy for 50 years - i.e. until 2047. It was believed by most that by then China would be more capitalist than Hong Kong and with a more democratic system of governance in place. Once again events have proven how wrong that prognostication was! With all the panic around the world over covid19, Xi Jin-ping has totally blown that international agreement between Britain and China to bits. I do think, though, that the protestors who all but closed the central business district for months in 2014 and the excesses of some the protests in 2019 gave the mandarins in Beijing the excuse they needed to clamp down hard. Go back in time and it is clear to me that Britain is at the root cause of the problem. It had many decades to introduce a form of true democracy in Hong Kong. It did virtually nothing. What Hong Kong had got by the early 1990s was a sham form of very weak democracy that was democratic in name only. But it had the promise of both governments of much greater democracy by 2017. Then the last Hong Kong Governor, Christopher Patten, went behind everyone's back, including the British Prime Minister who appointed him, broke the provisions of the Basic Law which mandated in an international treaty that any changes prior to 1997 had to be be discussed and agreed by both sides, and announced that he would unilaterally introduce greater democracy. China was furious and the British government was far from pleased. At a stroke Patten ensured that China was never going to trust Britain and that it would have its way in Hong Kong sooner rather than later. So the Taiwan question is now front and centre once again. Legally, its status depends on which international Treaty legal scholars believe is the more valid. In 1943 there was a Conference in Cairo between the Roosevelt, Churchill and their Asian ally, the ruler of China Chiang Kai-shek, to reach an agreement on the fate of Japanese occupied colonies after the end of the War. It was formally agreed all were to be returned to the countries from which Japan had annexed them. By then, China had ruled Taiwan for more than 200 years. When Chiang lost the revolutionary war with the communists and fled to Taiwan, the west was horrified. Two large communist powers was at least one too many. So another Conference was arranged in San Francisco in 1951 at which Japan renounced sovereignty over Taiwan. Crucially no agreement was reached over who should become the new sovereign power. Hence all the war games around Taiwan for decades thereafter. If China takes it back by force which it is perfectly capable of doing very quickly, will the US and other countries now fight on the island's behalf? I cannot see it. And how would that scenario affect the progress of the fledgling LGBT movement on the mainland? How would it affect the situation re gay marriage which Taiwan has legally adopted? Over the last few years Xi Jin-ping has solidified his power by getting rid of most of his opponents. He is now the most powerful leader China has ever had. Can we hope that the remains of the anti-Xi movement may eventually be able to topple him?

Macron built federal vaccination centers. The friend don't trust the federal government and refused to go to them. What they should have done was given the vaccine to local doctors who the French do trust.

kkkkkkkk

I'm not vaxxed if anyone is into that

Aon and Lan, who joke they are "an intergaycial couple," are the duo behind the award-winning LGBTQ+ travel blog Deer Is Travelling. Based in Bangkok the couple writes about living in Thailand and traveling in the region. The cofounders of LGBTQ Travel Thailand, Aon and Lan have collaborated with many hotel chains (including Hilton, Pullman, SO Sofitel, and Amari) and their blog has been recongnized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. In our exclusive interview below they tell Out Traveler what makes Thailand such a great hub for travel, what most tourists to the area miss, and the best things about traveling as a couple. (Pictured: Phi Phi Islands, Thailand) How did you meet? We matched on Tinder and we were so busy, so we met for the first time a few months after that. But when we finally did, we had this click and our story started! We both didn’t plan to stay in Bangkok as Aon wanted to move to Canada to study and Lan was in Bangkok to learn Muay Thai for a year with the plans to travel more. But looks at us now! (Picture: Koh Kood Island Thailand) Why is your blog called Deer Is Travelling? For our first big trip together we went to Japan for two weeks. And I asked Aon: “We spent so much money on this trip, should we do at least a couplegram out of it?” And we actually did! When we started looking for a name, we thought "deer" may work because in Thai it has a queer meaning, plus during that time we used to call each other "dear deer." Plus one of us has a deer horn tattoo on the chest, so we thought we’re just like a deer — four legs and horns. And since the deer is an animal that is strong and independent, brave, and mostly does not hurt other animals; we thought it fits perfectly! (Pictured: Pullman Bangkok Hotel G in Bangkok, Thailand) What advice do you give LGBTQ+ travelers coming to the region? Thailand is famous for its beaches and temples. There are literally thousands of both here but normally only the beaches get well explored. We recommend everyone try to explore more mountains or cultural events. Thailand actually has over 40,000 temples but most tourists can name just a few. Let’s change that! (Pictured: Temple Wat Arun in Bangkok Thailand) Do you have a favorite destination in Thailand? Outside of Thailand? We love that it’s always hard to choose anything particular about Thailand. For example. last year we went to local regions Loei and Mae Hong Song, it was absolutely stunning! Then we came to visit two hidden gem islands — Koh Kood and Koh Phi Phi. Although each was absolutely different, those four destinations are the ones that surprised us the most. Outside of Thailand we definitely in love with Japan! We have been to the countryfour times but it’s never enough! We already planning to be back as soon as restriction ease. Also, we love the nature of Laos a lot! (Pictured: Koh Kood Island Thailand) What is the best thing about traveling as a couple? There are so many things! Especially for two guys who are almost the same size! We always share our clothes and personal care items, so we have a double wardrobe during our travels! It also means more food. It’s safer and cheaper. It is awesome to spend birthdays and other big holidays together, even better to share moments like splashing around the sea in the golden hour. We can even think of more reasons! Renting a kayak to paddle out to some hidden sea cave? Driving anywhere? Each of us gets a chance to sleep, take pictures, check the map, reserve the next hotel. It’s truly amazing! (Pictured: Koh Samed Island Thailand) What makes Thailand such a great hub for traveling? Thailand has it all! Culture, mountains, islands, crystal clear water, white sand beaches, kind people, food, and more! People in Thailand are very tolerant and we never had any problems with being a gay couple in Thailand. Maybe we just lucky but we couldn’t remember anything unfriendly that happened to us. (Pictured: Loha Prasat Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan Temple Bangkok) If you were setting up a culinary travel itinerary what restaurants or regions would be must-visits? Thailand is a large country with diverse geography, which over the years has led to the development of regional differences in cuisine. There are currently four different cooking styles in Thailand. Dishes in the north of Thailand are generally less spicy than in the rest of the country, with sticky rice traditionally mixed into small balls with the fingers. There is a strong influence from neighboring Burma and its popular dishes like Kaeng Hang Le, pork curry flavored with ginger, turmeric, and tamarind. Food in the northeast is influenced by Laos, usually very spicy food served with glutinous rice. Although there are many meat dishes, historically in the villages meat was very small, and the source of protein was shrimp and freshwater fish. They are often fermented to increase shelf life. The Central Region offers cuisine that is somewhere between north and south, with aromatic jasmine rice, a stickier variety, popular. The central area is home to royal cuisine, which makes it special. This type of cooking, which originated in the royal palace, involves more complex dishes prepared with more sophisticated methods. Southern Thai cuisine is the most popular outside of Thailand and is the main tourist region of the country. Coconut milk is much more commonly used in southern cuisine as a substitute for ghee for frying. The dishes are rich in seafood, as well as cashews from local plantations and coconut pulp as a condiment. Talking about Thai food is always hard since it made you hungry easy! (Pictured Red Lotus Floating Market in Thailand) Tell us about your biggest #TravelFail and how you recovered. Once we stayed in Da Nang, Vietnam. In the morning we were blue since we had not had enough time to explore all we wanted but it was time to leave the city and be back in Bangkok. We went to check out from the hotel but the receptionist said our hotel check-out wasn’t until the next day! We checked our flight and it wasn’t until the next day as well! Somehow we miscounted and got an extra day in Vietnam, which made us so happy! (Pictured: Pullman Bangkok Hotel Luang Prabang, Laos) What are your top LGBTQ+ travel resources? We started our blog for the reason that there are almost no LGBTQ+ friendly resources about Thailand. Plus, we always were looking for hidden gems places around Thailand but there is not much information either. At first, we were confused ourselves and later decided to make Deer is Traveling to show how it is to be a gay couple in Thailand but also show the beauty of Thailand that regular tourists often don't see. (Pictured: Koh Kood Island Thailand)

You were indeed lucky. I suspect more did not do like you because the Immigration requirements for the retirement visa were relatively simple at that time. Over the years Immigration has gradually tightened the requirements and who knows how many more changes are in the works in the coming years. In fact, who knows for how long the 20 year Elite membership will remain at 1 million baht? The 5-year was recently increased by 20%. The Immigration Department has made it quite clear it is going after those who cheat the system. The stupidity of that approach is that if there were no crook Immigration officers happy to receive under the table payments, there would be no need to tighten anything. The government has also stated its longer term strategy is to go after the more wealthy tourist - and I think it is not unreasonable to assume the more wealthy retiree. If that is the case, when will the 65,000/month inward pension payment be acceptable for the retirement visa? I believe the amount has remained the same for quite some years. If it is raised by, say, 20% how many existing retirees are going to find themselves in difficulties? Thailand remains a relatively inexpensive destination for retirement. But costs have been rising significantly and again who knows when these will stabilise - if ever?

Yes! What a good idea...maybe begin with this cabana boy:

Sorry I confused the issue. I believe the following is correct. Annual renewal. With an Elite Card, you only have to make a renewal if you remain in Thailand for a full year without at least once having departed for another country. So if you do leave, every time you reenter you automatically get another 12 months from that date. Leave at least once each year and, provided you time the arrivals back accurately, it is likely you will never need to go for an annual renewal. If, as with many Card holders this last year, you have not been able to leave Thailand, the Elite staff assist with the preparation of all the paperwork for an annual renewal. You then call Elite and make an appointment to go to the Immigration Department at Chaengwattana a week or so (depending on demand) before you have to do the renewal. Once at Immigration, you are met by an Elite staff member who takes you through a special fast track. The renewal process with multi-reentry permit takes only about 30 minutes or less. For the first renewal you pay only for the reentry permit - 1,900 baht. No need for bank books, accommodation proof etc. 90-Day Reports. You still have to make 90 day reports provided you are in the country for 90 consecutive days without departing for another country. So if you do travel, every time you reenter the 90 day clock is reset. If you do require to make a 90-day report and it can not be done on line (I understand the app has recently been down!), you don't have the hassle of going out to Immigration. About 10 days in advance of the date you can take your passport to the Thailand Elite office (next to the W Hotel on Sathorn - Chongnonsi Skytrain station). They do all the work for you. You then pick up the passport from their office a few days later.

Yes, veryhotjake! But now you have them!

I just bought the Elite and got the visa sticker earlier this month. I opted for the 20 year/1mln Baht version, which is the best value for money, or rather the cheapest per annum cost at 50,000 Baht equivalent. This version does not come with all the extra Elite perks like free limo service to the airport18 or 24 times a year. That's completely useless to me as I travel often, but by FAR not that often. Plus a simple taxi does it for me. It's clearly for the really frequent travelers such as business people. Anyway, the main reason for me to buy is was indeed convenience and peace of mind. I was sick and tired of the annual hassle of the retirement extension. Also the minimum bank balance issue as described by @PeterRS played some role. Plus the idiotic health insurance now (since last year) required for some (not all!!) retirement visas. Get this: if my ORIGINAL visa to enter Thailand several years back was a Non-OA then I need the insurance, if it was a Non-O (or others, I believe, like tourist visa) then not. The annual extension is the EXACT same process with the EXACT same requirements (mainly being 50+ and that money in the bank), so why the hell does the very old visa, long since expired, determine the insurance requirement? Makes ZERO sense, and is a classic example of TiT. Who knows what other idiotic rules they may come up in the future. Some more detail and info on that annoying health insurance: it needs to have 400k Baht for inpatient coverage. That's a rather small amount. I have no use for that and would never ever be able to use it as my own health insurance covers everything. Now get this: depending on the company and your age that insurance policy costs in the range of 40-60k Baht a year (for my age of mid 50s, more for older)!! Luckily, last year I found ONE company offering policies with deductibles of 100k and 200k, the latter of which I bought at an acceptabe rate of 6k. Not too bad comapred to all the others. Well I know for a fact this is still happening at Immi Pattaya. Don't want to be overly anal, but I always find it important to use the correct terminology with these things. The 5 and 20 year versions are indeed memberships, but NOT visas. Even the 20 year membership only gives you a 5 year visa sticker. However the 20y membership of course confers the right to receive an new 5 year visa after expiration of the previous one. this could be a bit misleading to people not familiar with the Elite visa. An annual renewal (of the visa) is NOT required for the Elite holders, as the visa itself is a year one (see above). on each entry into Thailand Elite holders get a 1 year stamp from the date of arrival. Now IF you stay a consecutive year in Thailand, then that 1 year permission to stay will need to be extended. If you leave the contry at least once a year, no such extension is ever necessary, as a new 1 year stamp will be issued upon each arrival. This is different from the retirement visa where upon arrival you get a stamp until the fixed date that is your extension date. That extension MUST be done once every year with the requirements described here. (side note: the retirement visa is actually not really a visa but rather a retirememt permission to stay; that retireement extension by itself does NOT confer the right to enter Thailand under the same conditions, and leaving will make you lose that status - UNLESS yhou have a re-entry permit (separate stamp) which then upon arrival cofers the same status. ) So bottom line is, for people who normally travel internationally at least once per year, no extension is ever required for Elite holders. 90 day reporting of course still applies (unless one travels frequently enough to never reach 90 consecutive days, as I used to pre-covid).

Pre Christmas days – The Ghost of Rio Past Part 2 It always happens this way, doesn’t it? As time passes, and you get reminded about a past relationship, at some point, you only remember the good parts. You somehow forget why you broke up in the first place. And then you try to rekindle the romance, expecting only the good parts reemerge, but if neither of you have changed, and all the niggling details that led to the downfall of your relationship slowly creep back up to the surface, the outcome will be the same. But the thing is, both of us have changed. He is not the same Garoto de Programa that I fell in love with all those years ago. On some things, he has changed for the better – gone is the drug use, the binge drinking, the anger issues. But with that, the excitement mostly has gone away as well – the crazy sex, the reckless abandon. This Diego iteration was almost boring, which is not his fault. I guess after a lifetime of instability and selling one's body, one should aspire to be as boring and predictable as the rest of us. I do respect and admire his change in his outlook in life. But I have also changed as well. I am not a babe in the Brazil woods anymore. I’ve appreciated Diego’s guiding hand in my first year into discovering Brazil, helping me with Portuguese, introducing me to the culture and the people and other idiosyncrasies that is seen through his eyes. But these few days with him have made me realized that I have moved on from what Diego had to offer. It was nice though to be spending the non-sauna hours with him. And he has given me his take on how the coronavirus has changed his life here in Rio. He has seen a lot of people lose their jobs and gone to desperate places. He tells me that he is lucky that he and his family are in the restaurant biz, and people still need food in the pandemic, so that at least guaranteed him not going hungry. He said that if he stuck with being a GP, and with the saunas closing for a good part of 2020, he might not have made it. As we go have lunch one of the days I was with him, the TV that was showing the news in the restaurant reminds me that COVID is still very much a thing here: But Copacabana, and the rest of Rio, seemed to be determined to go into the summer season in a celebratory mood, seemingly unbothered by all this sickness and death. Rio actually is helping me forget all this a depressing stuff as well. I do not think I am going to get sick here. And why would I? The beaches are hopping and full, the water is warm, and the saunas are filled with clients and boys eager for a good time. Definitely delusional thinking on my part, but too late to worry about it now that I am in the soup. It was Saturday today, and I tell Diego that I wanted to check out 117 later. He agreed to it but told me that Lions had a birthday party today for their DJ, Dudu, his friend, and he wanted to go after 117 to greet Dudu his parabens. So we get to 117 at 6 PM so I can get scratch my muscle boy itch for the day. We get to 117, and as usual Diego gets recognized by everyone. After some catching up, we finally get to go downstairs to leave our valuables in the locker. Immediately upon entering, I got reminded on why 117 was my favorite sauna in Rio. There it was, the wall-to-wall muscle-bound boys that left me gobsmacked in my first trip to Brazil, chronicled here. The slow days of Rio during the pandemic are over. It was back. Hopefully for good. Diego opted not to change into a towel, citing that he has stopped his cycle of “anabolizantes” a long time ago, so his muscles are not up to snuff anymore for this place. I gave him a kiss, telling him that to me, he could give these boys a run for their money. Which was true. He was trimmer, less muscles popping, but the Brazilian genetics was still in place for him, so the abs, the chest, the tone, all were still there. As we made our way through the corridor and into the main stage area, it was amazing the amount of boys available. As we sit down for drinks, I told Diego that there was almost too many boys. Too many is almost as bad as too few. Noone stands out, and everyone seems to blend in into the crowd. It was hard to pick one that would stand out. I was ready to randomly throw darts and just pick one, any one, until I lock eyes on one guy. I recognized the guy from somewhere, but I could not put my finger on it. He was tall, strapping, handsome. He had a lean face with carefully coiffed hair. He was a mix of a lot of things, as most of them are, but he was light-skinned, and with just the right amount of tattoos that accentuates his muscles. And then it occurred to me: he was one of the four strippers that had a dance at Lions yesterday. I remembered that he was the best out of the four I saw, and the body was perfection – not an ounce of fat, an 8-pack, and ample ass and cock to complete the package. From his Instagram: I wave him over and after acknowledging Diego, he sits right next to me. I commented on his stripper performance yesterday, to break the ice. He laughs and thanks me. That smile. I tell him that I usually don’t see strippers do the rounds at the sauna. He tells me that it is a rarity for him as well, but said that Christmas was coming, and he needs to get enough money fast to give his family a good Christmas feast. He says he has some fixed clients as well but just needed the money to come in the next few days. He was warm, and forthcoming, and made me a Diego feel like we were talking to a friend. I was sold. I tell him to get a suite for us. For a stripper with crazy muscles, he was very down to earth. He was also very generous with his body. And he was passionate. I’ve always have some reservations with getting strippers to do programas. Maybe they are all for show and not much else. Not this guy. Maybe going into these things with lower expectations helped, but he was doing his part to dispel this notion I had with strippers. Maybe I’ll give more a try. Sufficed to say that I explored all the nooks and crannies of his perfect body, and he showed more attention to mine that I thought it deserved. We both came. I was in heaven. 350 reais for such an experience. I will be going back for more. After the programa, Diego was worried. I indeed took my time with the stripper. We get our things and walk the 10 minutes from 117 to Lions, to join the birthday party already in progress: There was free food and some free beers in the premises: And we enjoyed an hour of drag queen performance after drag queen performance, giving Dudu his tribute. We left at 11 PM, and from what I understood, the show went on for another hour, for a total of 3 hours. That seems a lot but it was a night of celebration. The next day, Sunday, we decided to check out Ponte 202. We got to the sauna and find that it was closed: I was kind of surprised, but I guess they close on Sundays now. We race to Gloria to go to 117. Less boys today, but still had enough boys to strike my fancy. And fancy turned into this lean built guy who had the confidence and swagger that attracted me to him (and probably qualities that I missed from Diego, who is now a little boring and stable). Upon talking to him, I find out that he was a porn star at Hotboys. He grabbed my phone to google his name and he showed me his oeuvre of fine quality naked video work. From the amount of videos I guess he was a popular top, and by the look of his exertions on video, he seems to know what he is doing, and how to use is 9.5 inch (24 cm) dick: At the suite, he was all what his videos promised, and coupled with a playful and happy disposition, made it an enjoyable programa. And he knew how to prime me before getting to take his giant cock, as he rimmed like he was liking it, and got me warm enough for the deed. I came while he was in me, another first in a sauna suite. 200 reais. Money well spent. Epilogue So before this 117 visit, since it was Sunday, it was family day for most Brazilians, and Diego was no exception. We were invited to have a late lunch with Diego’s family. Which meant a 1.5 hour Uber ride further inland into the interior of Rio. Diego’s family’s house was modest, as most favela dwellings are. I got to meet a lot of relatives and friends, and the beer was flowing. Diego was very open with the PDA and kisses which threw me a little bit. But he was determined to show me that he was not ashamed anymore. It was my turn to be ashamed I guess. Not with the overt gayness that was displayed, but because I was pretending to reciprocate his affections. I did not want a love relationship with him anymore, even if he was eager to get into one with me again. I have just moved on. Otherwise, though, the food was amazing, and I appreciated every bit of hospitality that was given to me: Diego had a lovely family, and my mastery (or lack thereof) of Portuguese was indeed tested in this 3 hour lunch. But afterwards, after we were in the Uber on the way back to Copacabana, and Diego lays down his head on my lap, and as it raced to a closed Ponte 202, I realized that I had to nip this in the bud, before Diego overstayed his welcome, and Diego would further assume that we were together again. After 117, and at the apartment, Diego and I have the heart to heart that we never had when we were together. After a few tears, and a lot of laughter, we get into an understanding. It is better that we say goodbye now, before feelings got in the way. They already have, as it turned out. He stays the night. He leaves first thing in the morning. Next… I’m free!!! Not really, but still, a slut can dream.

I was conflicted on whether to continue with this thread in the midst of the worsening COVID outlook in Brazil. Not even able to pursue a competent response to the pandemic has been deadly to the country, and as I left Brazil a few days ago, I saw that even Rio de Janeiro, which was fairly resistant to any kind of lockdown since things reopened in mid-2020, having to shut down till April 4th. A report, if you are interested: And I felt particularly guilty because as I see the USA kicking ass in terms of vaccination against the virus, I get message after message from friends and boys back in Brazil, ranging from slight irritation because of the lockdowns and the lack of parties, to desperation because the saunas are closed and therefore their main source of income is cut off. I am scheduled to go back in the latter half of April, and I have no idea if the COVID situation would be any better by then. I do hope so. But I guess that is the point, is all I can do is hope right now. And by continuing on with this thread, I feel that I am continuing that hope for myself, and maybe for others that are waiting patiently to go back as well, and who are not as willing to take the risks I have taken since August of last year. If my risk-taking seems too much for you, maybe read this thread after everything is back to normal, as we all hope it would, eventually. Pre Christmas days – The Ghost of Rio Past I have now spent the last 3 Christmases and the New Years in South America, and this year 2020, even with the pandemic still very much a thing, was no different. And can you blame me? Exchanging the cold weather and the bulkier clothes, for a much hotter, more festive, and much more naked atmosphere is a no brainer. And Christmas means family to a most Brazilians, and I was not going to pass up an invitation by an ex-boyfriend to spend Christmas dinner with his sister and her family. In my previous trip earlier in December, I was contacted by an ex who happened to be in SP too. This ex has the special distinction of being my very first boyfriend who lived in Brazil. We dated for six months, and in that time, being my formative months in my Brazil trips, I’ve probably learned the most about Brazil, and Brazilians, from him. There are many advantages of dating a Brazilian - the giant cock, the insatiable appetite for sex, the patented zest for life, but with that come some faults – the famous temper, the fire within that burns you at both ends, the obsessiveness. The relationship ended because the endless fights just became untenable for both of us. But he was a good guy, and has a good heart, and when he reached out almost two years after we ended, I was eager to reconnect. I’ve talked about him, Diego, here and here. He was a Garoto de Programa when I met him. He was one of those Brazilians who had an interesting racial mix that was fairly common in Brazil, and who unfairly got most of the best parts of each race – fair skin that tanned easily, light green eyes that called attention, a desire for physical activity that resulted in a perpetually fit body, and a cock that would only have descended from his… ahem… darker-skinned ancestors. The one fault, which is not really a fault, but one he hates, is his curly hair. He gets his hair straightened with blonde highlights, almost weekly when he was working as a boy. But now, having quit the GP life for a year, he has let go of this conceit, tho he maintains his hair close cropped, which suits him. He said he had to quit the GP life. The money was good, but also deadly. He earned a lot so he spent a lot – most of the time on girls and drugs and booze. The fast life caught to him eventually, health-wise, so he had to quit the whole GP life altogether. He lives now with his family, helping out with the family business. Little money, but comes with little problems, and less stress. He insisted on picking me up at the airport as I arrived in Rio, which he has never done before. As I exited the arrivals area, there he was, smiling from ear to ear. He met me halfway, and kissed me squarely in the lips, in front of everyone. When I first dated him, he was pretty clear that no one was to know publicly that we were together. He said at the beginning of our relationship that one of the advantages of dating me was I could pass as his friend in public because we didn’t look too far in age. That both flattered me (I look young!) and horrified me (he is ashamed to be seen as gay!), but I was willing to overlook that. But here he was, practically humping my leg, as we make our way to the Uber level in Galeao airport. This was indeed a change. But I made him aware that I had a boyfriend already (see thread), and also I fully intended to go to the saunas while I was in Rio, but told him that he could keep me company and could stay with me as long as I was in Rio. He said he didn’t mind going to the saunas with me, and actually would relish seeing friends from his past life there. Upon arrival at the AirBNB at Copacabana, since he was Brazilian, it was physically impossible for him to keep his shirt on. The sight of him shirtless of course was too much to bear for me. So with the shirt came the pants as well. He takes off my own clothing too, and it took all my strength to go to the bathroom to take a shower first (I was after all coming from a long flight from the USA, so I had to clean up). He joined me there to start the fun. What came next well… let’s just say we made up for lost time. A shower, then lunch at one of the nearby restaurants, we of course went to the beach afterwards. Not even 2 hours in Rio and I already had sex, eaten feijoada, and had my caipirinha in Copacabana beach. Welcome to Brazil: Diego and I got to catch up further at the beach. And after the beach, it was almost 6 PM. So my usual afternoon nap after a flight did not happen. So I just downed a couple cans of Red Bull to get through the evening. Diego and I discussed what sauna we should go. Diego recommended going to Lion’s tonight, since he said Friday nights were Lion’s best night. I told him I was not particularly fond of that sauna, but since I had a week of freedom in Rio, I guess I can try to go there. There was a nice crowd inside when we got there. Thank goodness. Lots of customers with lots of drinks, and some boys milling about as well. Looks like the holiday crowd has descended upon Rio. This was definitely a change from motnhs ago, when the Rio saunas were dead. The boys that Lions attracts usually are too boy-next-door for me, but I could see tonight that there were some promising boys that I could see going out with. Diego was still holding his own too, as it was obvious the regular clients and some boys knew him. He was saying hi to some clients and boys in the premises, as well as the staff at Lions. As the night, and the booze, got on, he had some pretty juicy gossip about the staff, boys, and even some clients present, to share with me, which made the evening more enjoyable. And he assured me that I could just call on any boy I wanted and he would just remain where he was, waiting for me to finish. The show started, and it was pretty elaborate. There was a total of 4 strippers tonight, and 6 drag queens, which to me felt like a big production. In between the 3rd and 4th drag queens, I noticed a nice young-looking moreno walk past us. He was trying to get my attention, of course, and I took the bait and called him over to sit with us. His body was to die for. Nice tone arms, 8 ack abs, nice chest, and the cutest smile. Big plump ass. Smooth all over. He was 23 (the magic age), and was very generous with his body to just show me what he was about. He guided my hand under the towel to get a feel of his cock. “Sou versatile” he says the magic words. I was sold. I tell Diego I will be right back. At Lion’s, while the downstairs stage and bar area are renovated, the upstairs suites were not, and were kind of run down. It will do the job, however. The boy gets me the suite keys and some condoms and lube. We entered the suite, and the boy excuses himself and asks if he could shower and get clean. I could not argue with that. I lay down on the bed to wait. A few minutes later, he was ready, emerging from the bathroom naked, smelling amazing, and hard. He takes my clothes off and immediately sits on my groin to start of. He leans down to kiss me, deeply. This boy knows what he is doing. When it comes to these programas, I can be game for anything. Sometimes I am game for worshiping a muscle god, sometimes I like getting serviced and let the boy earn his programa money. But the sweet spot for me is a boy who was equal parts into getting you into him, as he is getting into you. He sucked me, I sucked him. He rimmed me and I rimmed him. When it came to the main course, I opted to top him, but he called the shots, riding me and calling the shots and making the thrusts. I was so turned on that I came while he was thursting on me up and down, a rarity for me. “Leite?” he asks. Of course, I answer. He gets off my dick, feeds his still hard cock on my mouth, pulls out, and then jacks off. 30 seconds later he shoves his dick back into my mouth and comes inside. Wowza. He kisses me afterwards, our kiss was a mix of saliva and some of his cum that I did not swallow. He takes the condom from my cock and disposes of it, and cuddles with me in the bed. We exchange some pleasantries and get to know each other, and we exchange numbers as well. 200 reais. After a shower to de-whore myself, I was back in Diego’s arms. He playfully puts his hand on my crotch and asks me if the boy was good. I kiss him and told him he was good. We enjoy the rest of the evening watching the show and having more beers. We get home and after laying down with Diego in bed, I immediately fall asleep. I was exhausted. I wake up in the middle of the night, with a naked Diego snoring next to me. This was going to be a good trip. Next, 117, 202, and more Lions.

Over the last four years I’ve settled on staying in the Complex. I’ve used the Agate, Poseidon and Zing and have been happy with all three, although for the last three trips I’ve stayed at Zing choosing one of their larger upper floor rooms. I like the pool which is large enough for swimming although I’ve spent more time laying by it with boyfriends. It’s gay friendly rather than being a gay hotel as is the case with the Poseidon where I never saw a female guest. it’s now more than a year since I was there which is the longest period without visiting Pattaya and I miss it a lot - particularly for Asian boys and having sex with them. Maybe later this year ? Hope so !

I seriously doubt, in line with Rockhard's estimation, that Ellen was any worse to work for than anybody else. I worked as a corporate lead on communications at various companies. This is a typical media-manufactured story. Somebody complains. Somebody offers rewards for stories about Ellen on twitter. Needless to say, stories are created, and a woman who isn't nice enough to suit people is trashed. The media get their eyeballs, people 'twitter' about the woman who has been shown her place. You call it being a republican, I call it not buying bullshit sexism. This story would very likely not happen if Ellen was a guy.

I say fuck the snowflakes! Too many people in the work force are a pain in the ass. They're lazy, incompetent, and selfishly over-sensitive. And many feel entitled. In show business, you have unions that protect people who deserve to be replaced. Firing people is not as easy as you think. I'm not suggesting Ellen is a perfect human being. No boss is perfect. And she's now paying the price for not being perfect. But, when you're running a multi-million corporation, and you're the star of the show, believe me, the pressure is no laughing matter. Egos run LARGE in show business. However, no matter who the boss is, you will always find disgruntled workers, people eager to complain about something. Thanks to social media, snowflakes are attempting to gain power. Mediocre workers do not deserve special treatment. That said, just because you're "Ellen," it does not give you the right to behave nastily. If Ellen were a true CUNT, far more people would be speaking out, and there would be large turnover of senior executives over a short span of time. For a true "cunt" meter, one has to look at the inner circle.

I generally found those whining about her nastiness on set unpersuasive. You may feel differently. It seemed mostly people like people with an axe to grind.

Watched an episode or two, but didn't catch me. I need a bit more plot than teens being all teeny to each other, however hot they are. Plenty of porn on the internet full of hotties. I'm hard to please, however on the quality of writing on TV shows. Not that Covid lockdown hasn't lowered my standards on that score...

I couldn't either.

I tried but couldn't get into it.