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Passing the Time As originally conceived this trip had a significant business component, using Bangkok as a hub to visit other cities in the region or people coming to Bangkok to meet me, and re-establish face contact after two years. The removal of Test-and-Go shut the door on this. However, my presence in Thailand and this time zone makes me useful to others whose plans have also been disrupted and I receive requests for all manner of help from meeting potential investors to conducting a Zoom-forum and even interviewing a candidate. With my days free I am happy to oblige and the days before Bangkok Guy joins me become a pleasant routine of swimming, working, dining by the river and becoming a regular at the Bamboo Bar where the captain now automatically orders me a Sazerac. Not wanting to risk crowds on the Metro or Sky Train I hire a car and driver from TheLimoPattaya whenever I need to get around and re-experience what we all know – Bangkok is not a city in which driving makes much sense as a transport option. I have the same lady driver with the very nice car, the weather is mild enough that cracking the windows open does not cause discomfort, and as the traffic is taken into account in planning, everything goes smoothly. For those into shopping, Jim Thompson is making a great N95-design mask in a fun selection of fabrics. Much more comfortable than the regular ones as the straps are adjustable. Hovering in the background is a nagging concern over the true state of Bangkok Guy’s health. It is not a concern that can be addressed through Line exchanges for language reasons and also because he is both a Stoic and believes in looking good. I will only find out when we meet as, in person, when it is just the two of us face-to-face, communication is much easier and it is always the plain truth, politely expressed. Things Begin to Fall into Place, Finally The morning of the day prior to Bangkok Guy’s emancipation from home-isolation begins with an apology he sent late the night before, after I had turned in. ‘Sorry I didn’t answer you. I take medicine and sleepy all day’. That explains his total radio silence yesterday. I tell him no problem, rest and get better. After swimming laps I have an early lunch by the pool and doze in the shade of the cabana, enjoying the soft breeze off the river. A ping from my iphone breaks my reverie, a sticker of a rabbit and a chick popping out from behind a wall. Bangkok Guy signaling he would like to talk. I ask if I can call him – our established etiquette to give him time to make himself presentable before a live audience – and the next thing he is calling me, voice only. He clearly doesn’t want to make a live appearance. He sounds tired but says he feels better and his sense of mischief is alive and well. I tell him the next few days are what he wants, I follow him. We have established ‘I follow you’ as our code for who is in charge of the task at hand for everything from choosing a restaurant to finding a temple or deciding on the main activity for the day. What I mean to convey is that he is recovering, so we go at his pace. His response is a mischievous giggle while he repeats ‘you follow me’ in a very satisfied tone of voice. We will see where this leads. We agree he will come to the hotel at 5pm the next day. His choice of timing. My guess is that he has a lot of errands to run after being quarantined for so long, some of which will involve restoring his grooming to its usual high standard. I slip back into my cabana reverie only to be pulled out of it by another ping, this time from my tailor. I have an appointment in the afternoon but he is at the hotel for another client, so if it suits me we can have a fitting now. I am very happy with what he has made and, seeing my satisfaction, he suggests that now I will of course want ten of everything. I do get a few extra, including an additional pair of linen trousers in terracotta-with-orange-highlights which I like but which I know Bangkok Guy will view with considerable skepticism. If he is going to pull my chain, I am going to pull his. For a change I lunch outside the hotel on the terrace at D’ARK in IconSiam. It is 1.45pm and the waiter (extremely cute) tells me alcohol sales stop at 2pm, so rather than a glass I order a carafe of the Sancerre with fanciful thoughts of acquiring a monopoly on alcohol between 2-5pm, and selling glasses from my stock at outrageous prices to parched Falang. It is an excellent Sancerre and I happily consume my cache, parched Falang be damned.

I never asked. I thought it was better to focus on dealing with the situation-at-hand than getting into a bunch of questions. The poor guy clearly felt badly about it and he plans to get his second shot and then a booster so there will be no further snafus. My guess is that having screwed up his courage to get the first shot he hesitated over the second shot, and while he hesitated contracted covid. My inclination to bop an anti-vaxxer on the nose if I meet one has risen exponentially.

The first two episodes were tidieous I almost gave up but from the third episode the series become very interesting and I am impressed ! wonderful cast and sophisticated plot making it one of the best Thai series I watched recently .

Clearing the Cultural Fog My flight touches down early. To my surprise the domestic terminal is a hive of activity, a striking contrast to the international ghost town. A lady from LimoPattaya meets me in a very nice car for a fast trip into town. I notice that only one of the many large advertising billboards by the highway is in use, the others forlornly solicit business with their phone numbers. I am enjoying lunch by the river when Bangkok Guy pings me with a photo of a doctor’s letter, which I take to the concierge for translation to ensure that it has all the information the hotel needs. Bangkok Guy has a habit of sending me documents in Thai as proof of various things, such as the Time Payment Tractor, and I have always trusted that they show what he says they show. This is the first time I have had anything translated. The letter says Bangkok Guy has had covid, is about to end his ten days quarantine but then must return home for a further four days self-isolation. This seems overly cautious to me, but clarifies why Bangkok Guy insists he has to go home after he leaves hospital. His unwillingness to enter the hotel remains a mystery. It seems the caution is justified. I ask Bangkok Guy if he would like to take a day trip to Ayutthaya. “I feel weak lately. Do not want to travel. So sorry.” Although he looks good on Line - he probably makes sure he looks good when I call - I should have been more attuned to his earlier comment ‘not good inside’. My guess is that he contracted the Delta variant which remains more prevalent in Thailand than Omicron. This means that it may take a while for him to be back to full health. The concierge tells me that Bamboo Bar is open and I celebrate my first evening in Bangkok by returning to that old favorite to sip a Sazerac while listening to a very enjoyable jazz vocalist. Bangkok Guy will enjoy this once he is free as he likes jazz vocals, assuming he feels up to going out. I only stay for the first set however as there is an almost full house and I still have a final PCR test to pass. Back with the front desk I discover why Bangkok Guy thinks he can only meet me outside the hotel. Contrary to my earlier conversation I am now told the hotel’s policy is double-vaccination only, no doctor’s letters (!!??!!#@%!) which makes sense of Bangkok Guy’s statement that he can only meet me outside the hotel. It seems the policy depends upon to whom you talk. This misunderstanding is corrected. Bangkok Guy will be welcome. In the slightly fraught period during which the misunderstanding is corrected, I contact four alternative five star hotels to secure a back-up plan. Two are very clear ‘double-vaccination only’, one is open to accepting the doctor’s letter once they have seen it and can verify its contents, and one is equally clear at the opposite end of the spectrum ‘we have no vaccination requirement’.

And another thank you from JUpiter (street), in the planets suburb here. Thats just coincidence. Just caught up with the 2nd part and its again indeed a very good read. And another minor side note: In peak hrs the Chao Praya boat also has regular runs south along ChPraya-as far as that hi-rise Thai FarmersBank (Kasikorn now) main office. Now dubbing and thinking about the announced new Pass-newPass+Go (only if one was not sitting beside a person found to be infective in the plane-I´ve read too many such scary stories now in other Thai forums) system. As for now just a short trip to Espana_Barcelona and maybe a little on.

You have a point. The need for vaccination to fly was clear early on, but the need for vaccination at the hotels was only made clear later. Often from their websites the policy was not clear. On balance I preferred to stay at hotels requiring vaccination/doctor's letter because, in hindsight, I was being overly cautious. When I re-booked the trip I assumed Omicron would become prevalent in Thailand during my stay and given how infectious it is I wanted all the distancing and protections I could get. Who wants to be in hospital for ten days at a cost of $4,000-$5,000 plus the cost of cancelations and rebookings, especially for something that is likely to be asymptomatic to mild for someone fully-vaccinated-and-boosted? While I was in Thailand all the reports from friends back home were of them/family/friends getting Omicron, with no symptoms beyond a normal cold. The surge back home was massive. While the surge I anticipated materialized back home, it did not materialize in Thailand while I was there (and still has not), so I could have been much more relaxed than I was.

Who do you recommend for: great regular updates good archive good camera work not big on solo vids, prefer couples (rimming and cum eating my faves) I’m not very demanding am I? (Ha) already subscribed to Rhyheim who I absolutely recommend to others (have read pinga article, what an awesome blog)

Since he is not fully vaccinated, he is more susceptible to have a more severe complication from covid and potentially long covid too. I sincerely hope he will recover well, hopefully soon enough for u to see it yourself in your report 😔

their job is not to control immigration but to have a job.

Good news my preferred gay owned and freindly guesthouse Rendez vous Hotel in Patong is SHA certificated. https://il.trip.com/m/hotels/detail?hotelId=703212&checkIn=2022-02-13&checkOut=2022-02-14&adult=2&children=0&ages=&crn=1&travelpurpose=0&UniqueKey=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONaxsjFJMEkxMTBKDWbkWPv-YfNzBYThRzPPmVzlu0Oc_DU3TT3_fKOKIcAjsJdnjxM2pN9HCYxqni2vg7cIZeZ4hBoyLFGJioy0SESpjBxruDSvQd7wxxmML75qrWCkXEj47-kbSmhb_QddjAyHWBkushYaMt1fXGBjsNDxodVIuvcHxo4vGB8emmiRifLG6Cpra8P2i9gYV7FwsNxh19wSQFIMYuDlIKRgbFhmrGlcUpaUqpJWpJ5oomheZK5qWFiooFRSpKJuQKzxpS3G_rZPBiD2IyNLJwsnaJkuJhDPJwEmx4dn7F72gl7KebQYBfFapCVUZIOSaypebqePhmfOSoyuxiZPBhXMTIAAENL2EYPAQAA&hasAidInUrl=1&roomKey=813197245__0_0__0_&cityId=725&fromMeta=1&edmHotelData=&fgt=1

And do we continue to believe that in this day and age one-man-one-vote is the democracy that works best? This is particularly true when very few countries actually give individuals a vote that truly elects a leader. Increasingly out of date systems like electoral colleges, constituencies where the winner takes all and countries allow those with the cash to spend gazillions to see elected only those who will pass the policies they wish to see passed or even just to stand for election. The changes in our day to day lives since Churchill made his much quoted comment on democracy being the worst form of government except for all the other forms that have been tried from time to time was made have been massive. Would he agree now, I wonder? I suspect he would add only in those countries where there is freedom of speech, a truly independent judiciary and a Constitution that all respect.

I’ve got a debt of gratitude to all my fellow forum posters. The knowledge and tales you’ve shared have really been helpful. I’ll try not to bore you with unnecessary details but I’d like to share my experience in this first trip to Brazil To start, I’m glad I even got here. With omicron seemingly everywhere I was concerned about getting a negative test for the flight. Equally concerning is traveling with so many flight cancellations left and right. To recap what others have said, I needed proof of vaccine, a negative Covid test within 72 hours (PCR test) or an antigen test within 24 hours, a health document filled out and printed within 24 hours as well. The entire process was smooth on American Airlines part and when I arrived at passport control in Rio he just causally glanced at my vaccine card but didn’t ask for any other documents. I haven’t traveled internationally in a couple of years and I feel rusty. I didn’t account for my flight arriving at 730 am and my Airbnb wouldn’t be ready till 3pm. So I ended up booking a hotel room in Copacabana. I should have booked the entire previous day to ensure my room was ready. But it’s all good. I took Uber from the airport. One curiosity I’ve had to learn (at least from the airport context) is communication with your driver prior to pickup. They need confirmation or something via text. There was miscommunication and I had a few drivers drop the transaction until a lovely lady picked me up. Uber prices are cheap so I went “upscale” and booked Uber black because it was apparent the moment I exited the doors that winter was behind me and I needed air conditioning. For what it’s worth my Uber black car was just a non old Honda Civic. Perfectly capable and acceptable for the price though. Despite the relatively mild temps, the humidity here is killing me. It will take a few days to adjust to the weather. But it feels good to be back in a real city. The vibe on the street at first appears to be really relaxed and chill. And my god, Every third guy is my type of guy. Splitting my time between working in Alaska and holidays at home in Ohio with my family, I encounter very few gay guys and very few that are my type. I took a long long nap once I got my room and decided to check out Pointe tonight for a little bit. Let me tell you, it’s like paradise. There were two dozen guys that easily fall within my type there and I really tried not to bite on the first guy that came around. It was kind of overwhelming and I’m positive I stuck out like crazy. I didn’t change into sauna attire as I wasn’t going to be out late tonight but I’ll probably partake in the whole experience tomorrow. I tell you what I find really endearing, all of the guys seem to be very sincere. I know that of course it’s a market setting and that transactions are the goal, but I cant help but be enamored by the gentle yet masculine spirits I encountered. It’s just really nice. I hooked up with a super cute guy from Salvador and it was money and time well spent. Like most of the guys there he had a very nice dick and was a wonderful kisser. I’m telling you all, this is a Las Vegas buffet but for handsome guys with big dicks. The three guys I talked to the most asked from 150-200. My guy wanted 150 and I added a 50 tip on top of that. It was a good experience. My lack of Portuguese is a negative though. I used translation apps to eeek out a conversation but it’s awkward. This might be a wonderful excuse to spend a few months here taking language classes in my off season. In many ways today was a reminder of why I love to travel. Being in new cultures far from home, away from the normal comforts you cultivate in your home county is a challenge. It’ll take a few days or a week to get back into my travel mode life. Especially after our winters of Covid discontent. I’m going to end this here because a guy named Lucca just wrote me on Grindr. You can’t say no to a guy named Lucca.

It has been getting pretty bad reviews but I have really enjoyed Sex in the City's return. Picking up where the girls left off many years later and seeing how they are in their 50's has been fun. Admittedly, when the original was on, I was living in NYC and Sunday night at my Times Square apartment was filled with sexy guys who all came over for a sex in the city party. I would usually cook pasta or some southern delight and we would eat, drink and watch Sex in the City together. That tiny living room was small but easily fix 15 or 20 of the sexiest lads I had ever seen. @marcanthonycan attest to the small size and the hot lads. So, I am not so sure that my enjoyment of the new series is so much the content as it is the memories. Another memory is taking a Sex in the City tour bus in NYC to see all the places it filmed and talked about. I even took my mother on that tour as she loved the show and loved the tour. They played scenes from the show on the bus. Anyway, enough of a walk down memory lane. If you haven't been watching the new show, give it a try. It is good to see so many fun characters and where they ended up.

so it looks it's back to what it was plus additional day 5 hotel and testing, nuisance, extra expense but hardly deterrent off going IMHO but everybody needs to assess his own circumstances and tolerance for a risk

TrueVisions has been showing a number of skating competitions on Channel 690. Today was the final of the annual Four Continents Competition held this year in Estonia. The winning three were all from Asia. First Prize went to 21 yo Cha Jun-hwa from South Korea. His quad jumps were incredible. He is coached by Brian Orser in Toronto who also coaches Yuzuru Hanyu. Cha was a child model when younger. He still models occasionally in addition to his skating. Second Prize went to the 23 yo Japanese Kazuki Tomono. Third Prize went to one of the youngest competitors, the 16 yo Japanese Kao Miura who is still technically a junior! He was top until Tomono and Cha skated. All will be names to watch at the Olympics. Sorry to say Camden Pulkinen took part in the competition but finished up near last place.

From Tourism Authority of Thailand UPDATED! TEST & GO scheme resumed from 1 February 2022 From 1 February, 2022, fully vaccinated travellers from any country around the world can apply for a TEST & GO Thailand Pass up to 60 days in advance. Eligible travellers • Thai citizens. • Foreign travellers, including but not limited to diplomats, guests of the government, Thai work permit holders, students and their family, and patients seeking medical treatment. Eligible countries • All countries/territories. Pre-Arrival Requirements All travellers must have the following documents for entering Thailand: A Thailand Pass, which can be applied via https://tp.consular.go.th/. *The system will reopen for new TEST & GO applications from 1 February, 2022 (09.00 Hrs. Thailand Time) A Medical Certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected issued no more than 72 hours before travelling. Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents with a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before travelling, are not required to have a pre-arrival negative RT-PCR test result and can have a saliva test when entering the Kingdom. For arrivals by water, everyone on board the vessels must have a medical certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected within the officially specified time frame. Anyone on aboard with a history of COVID-19 infection within a period between 14-90 days must have a medical certificate of recovery. An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$50,000. Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement. A proof of prepayment for 2 separate nights of accommodation at government-approved hotel/s, such as, SHA Extra Plus (SHA++), AQ, OQ, or AHQ on Day 1 and Day 5, and the expenses for 2 RT-PCR tests on Day 1 and Day 5. The prepayment for Day 1 must include an accommodation, a test and a prearranged transfer from the airport to the hotel. *Travellers can book 2 different hotels for the accommodation on Day 1 and Day 5. However, on both Day 1 and Day 5, they must stay within the room for the RT-PCR test result. A Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination/Recovery Everyone 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand. Travellers 12-17 years of age travelling to Thailand unaccompanied must get vaccinated with at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine. Those travelling with parents are exempt from this requirement. Travellers 6-11 years of age, travelling with parents, are exempt from this requirement. For arrivals by water, everyone on board must be fully vaccinated. This is except for travellers under 18 years of age, travelling with parents or guardians. Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection who have recovered by medical treatment, and travellers who have received at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine after post-infection must have a certificate of COVID-19 recovery. All travellers must undergo ‘exit screening’ at the point of departure, i.e., at the airline check-in counter and present the required documents to the person-in-charge to carry out the checks. On-Arrival Requirements / During the Stay All travellers must undergo ‘entry screening’, including body temperature check at the point of entry. Present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures. Proceed to the prearranged accommodation or medical facility to undergo the first RT-PCR test. The trip must be by a prearranged vehicle on a sealed route. Then, all travellers must wait for the test result within the hotel only. Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents, can have a saliva test. If testing negative for COVID-19, travellers are free to go anywhere in Thailand. However, they must stay at their prepaid accommodation on Day 5 and undergo their second COVID-19 test using the RT-PCR technique (they must stay within the room for the RT-PCR test result.) The second test can also be taken when the travellers experience respiratory symptoms. Travellers whose test result returns as positive will be referred for appropriate medical treatment in accordance with Thailand’s Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015). The expenses must be covered by the required insurance for foreign travellers, or national healthcare coverage for Thais and eligible foreign expatriates. Pending on their conditions, they may be medically advised to receive treatment in either hospital hotel isolation or community isolation. During receiving the medical treatment – at least 10 days, they must remain in their accommodation only. They should not leave their accommodation unless utmost necessary, and must notify the Communicable Disease Control officer in-charge. After having recovered from COVID-19, they will receive a medical certificate of recovery. While in Thailand, travellers are advised to strictly follow standard, good personal hygiene practices; such as, wear a mask in public, maintain hand hygiene (washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizer), and keep physical distance of at least 1 metre from others. Travellers who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms should get tested. If testing positive they must get an appropriate medical treatment. Those with COVID-19 testing appointment must get tested. All travellers must download and install the MorChana application, and set it on at all times for the COVID-19 precautionary measures and to record the result on Day 5-6 in the application. Meanwhile, travellers who have applied/obtained their Thailand Pass QR code before 22 December, 2021, with scheduled arrival dates in Thailand from 24 December, 2021, onwards, are still required to undergo their second COVID-19 test using the RT-PCR technique at government-designated facilities on Day 5-6 of their stay in Thailand, or when they experience respiratory symptoms (no additional cost). Guidelines for Domestic/International Departure For domestic departure, travellers must show proof that they have received a negative result for their RT-PCR test. For international departure, it is the responsibility of travellers or their organisations to make sure that the travellers meet the requirements of their specific international destination regardless of the point of departure. Kindly note the information is to serve as reference only. It is especially important to check in regularly on www.tatnews.org to stay current on what remains a very fluid and fast changing situation. https://www.tatnews.org/2022/01/thailand-reopening-exemption-from-quarantine-test-go/

Thank you. I was quite concerned. He has recovered well, no lasting symptoms.

Actually it does!

As someone who has been visiting the Philippines for over 15 years and who has many good friends there. I have to say seeing real Democracy work there is most difficult. First so much is in the hands of so few. The rich run things both in business and in politics. The Filipino Aristocracy. And in politics what you have to spend counts even more. Even when Benigno Aquino III was elected President, I had great hopes for the future. But again he was from a rich family and never made a difference for the common Filipino. For there it has gone straight download hill. President Rodrigo Duterte may not come from a rich family but his so corrupt and excercises his power so ruthlessly to assure he and his daughter will be on top. What can I say about Manny Pacquiao? It is too bad he is a homophobe. My gay friends all ignore that and want to see him win. He is loved!! But in the end I have to say I feel the Filipino People will never change. They are not like "us" Europeans or Americans. They are too often uneducated or too easily swayed. Being an American I feel we are also becoming too easily swayed. We will see...

I wish onlyfans would have some kind of preview feature. I'm not gonna spend bucks to see content I may not enjoy. I guess I'm too much of a yankee. 😀

3 years ago the baths bartender was stunning but aloof. I would have thrown money at him if given some encouragement. But I would wonder how he could cover all stations. There was an undie shop at the front but I don’t recall if it was separately staffed.

I remember seeing that performance, but what I understood was that she was not an actual woman, but an old ladyboy who got the job from a kathoey mamasan who had been a bit of a protegee of her in her younger days, and felt sorry for her. I believe her name was "Auntie Nong" - there was an interview with her in this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ladyboys-Secret-World-Thailands-Gender/dp/190537948X

looks that it's better to avoid those 5 stars in covid time. In my 25 days there in Dec only one hotel (Zing Jomtien ) asked me for proof of vaccination but I stay in more modest ( read cheaper ) places.

I don't need to look at Thais. We have now minus 15 Celsius and city bus had open window this morning so upon boarding promptly I closed it only to be chided by the driver that 'We have now open window policy to improve ventilation" , I'm kidding you not !!! Some idiot who probably never took the bus since finishing university ordered it , thinking that freezing to death saves us from Covid. I'm still shocked that driver was so stupid too instead of keeping quiet, after all I took only three stops and he is inside for the whole shift. No, I don't live in some operetta city or country. I'm telling you , whole world is getting stupid over covid.

Don't try to look for logic in Thai authorities decisions you won't find it.

That almost sounds like a Jean Genet's fantasy.

Apolo … been there dump that; not appalling, but … ———— Juan Bin Bin … Bin there dump that. Don’t wanna go to there again.

For a period I was quite a fan, but a common risk with being regarded as a 'Rock God' is that they come to believe it themselves.

Another hilarious decision of the Thai government. I will stay away from Thailand till all this madness is over.

Bad Buddy finished today, I expected it to be more dynamic based on the trailer but still interesting and entertaining and truth to be told , I can look at Ohm Phawat and his acting to no end. Kissing scene at end of episode 5 was great!

No it is not. It is a standard bathhouse set up with bar. Depending on the day, often the bartender is available for "erotic massage". You will be charged additionally for any sex activity -- the idea is to get you worked up where you will pay more. Keep in mind that, from my experiences, there is only one option on the menu for the massage. So it can be very hit or miss. Don't know if anyone has been there lately, but I have been told that the Apolo is pretty run down. But take that with a grain of salt. The owner, a Cuban, is genuinely a nice guy and is sincere about running this business for the community.

Final notes. Travelling in covid time is nerve wrecking due to multitude of regulations , not coordinated from country to country and from airline to airline but at end of day it proved doable. I’m glad I stick to my plan of jumping on earliest occasion as soon as quarantine will be cancelled. This did not happen but “Test and Go ‘ option seemed reasonable so when I learned it’s available it was no brainer to gather paperwork and apply. My Thai Pass came in exactly 7 days, 2 weeks later I was on my way. Mandatory tests and insurance raised prices but on another hand very good deals on accommodation mitigated that expense. I doubt in future I will be able to sleep in hotels and rooms I was utilizing this trip. Me and Crowne Plaza ? even few forum friends were surprised. I liked it even if really I don’t need fancy accommodations but if price is right, why not ?. Doom and gloom of some on forums proved exaggeration. Yes, bars were closed as well as many massager places but what was opened was good enough to keep me occupied and spending whenever I wanted. Line and apps helped. It was actually first time ever I used apps. Can’t say it was very successful but with more practice and more experience navigation of them may be more fruitful. One thing is sure , few guys I met had their profiles on apps and I must say almost universally I wouldn’t take them if I only saw them there. N, Ah-Poo, V, Soviet they all looked better in flesh. It’s why I like massages and bars better and always will because I can see real thing. I doubt you read those long reports with much attention to details but if you did you could notice one notable absence – covid itself. In those 25 days it was never really on my radar. Yes I wore mask like whole Thailand. If I spot 30 people without mask on the street in those 25 days , that’s it . I thought it will be annoying in that heat but actually was unnoticeably bearable. I have more problem at home in winter with constant fogging of my glasses . Wherever they measured temperature I placed my hand too but it was all like ritual, not a preventive measure. No restaurant bothered to check vaccination certificate and Zing was only hotel which asked for it. Accidentally it was also only hotel which asked my guest for ID. No problems with visitors I the room but dearth of foreign visitors was visible plainly and everywhere. Phor Liang Meun and Crowne Plaza were only hotels where there was some kind of crowd but even there ‘crowd’ was exaggeration. Thais now have country to themselves for good and bad . Unfortunately mostly bad. Closed and quiet Walking Street , Boyztown or Patpong are shocking views indeed. Even Silom , Suriwong and Sukhumvit are far from themselves in more normal times so economic devastation must be enormous. Foodland Patpong in lunch time was sometimes plain empty , so were malls and area around Grand Palace. Not even once I saw crowded BTS train. Those were things which I should enjoy but in fact made me sad as I was thinking about all those people who lost their earnings or had them greatly reduced. But boys are holding up . I never really heard complains , from time to time they ritually mentioned lack of customers but somehow managed to find other jobs, never before I heard from so many guys that they work also somewhere else. I did not notice notable reduction on tip expectations, neither bars reduced their prices with notable exception of Jupiter but even them raised prices for Christmas and New Year period. What was easier was to find guys willing to do long time, that may be positive covid effect but also possibly just my good luck or coincidence. I have pleasure to meet few forum member past and present,10tazione, Z909, Gaybutton , Aussie_, Newscene, ChristianPFC, 18past49, Anddy . Thank you for your time, in few cases introducing me to their friends and in impossible to underestimate case of 18past19 - leaving me few leads to guys he could issue personal recommendation for like V and above all X. Few people asked me which guy I liked the most. Hard question. S, the smartphone guy definitely sensed the best what makes me happy, N was crown of Pattaya stay and 5 nights with him were most passionate and steamy, T, T2 and X were three best built and for me , fond of manly muscular guys they were exactly made of my dreams. T was most offed by far and organized two memorable parties in his shop but failed to keep his promise on 2 occasions, T2 was most clingy out those three heroes of my dreams, muscles and not only were made of steel but was shorter than me , cooling factor in my book. X was hunk made of dreams and muscles , I had best conversation with him and service wise he was most professional knowing exactly what he is there for but also most costly but I knew what I’m getting into in this respect. And there were few guys I met only once who warranted multiple offs – sexy and talkative Soviet, funny and even more talkative M and quiet, manly but clingy V. Hard choice indeed so I need to go with one more trait – personality and here ranking become more clear so gold medal in competition ‘ Guy of the trip “ goes to X , silver to V and bronze to N. If you surprised take comfort that my ranking surprised me too. Regrets: I should go to Jey Spa more often, threw one more party at Sabaidee , off Gap , twink from Dreamboys from my 2nd night once more and try to off that very straight looking handsome guy from Jupiter. But with nobody to blame for those failures I just register them for curious. One of forum friends also noticed that I did not off at all guys known from previous trips. That’s correct with notable exception of Art in Pattaya. I don’t count Soviet as repeat since he did not recall me and I did not recall him until day or two after we met. No, it was not by design, it just happened, I just swim with the flow . When comes to hotels I don’t have a bad word against any of 11 or 12 I stay at , but I liked the best executive suite at Furama Sathorn, closest to normal flat. Of course for decoration Phor Liang Meun Teracotta Arts in Chiang Mai can’t be beaten. No idea when I will return, I hope it will be soon but until world will make it’s mind what to do with covid my advice , to myself and everybody else is to monitor situation closely and be ready to jump into any openings which will be created. I’m glad I did. thank you for all your 'likes" and contributions to this somewhat long thread

I used to have some faith in mankind. The last few years cured me of it. Now I just hope we can avoid total disaster for a few more decades when I won't be around to see "The Walking Dead" happen in real life.

I have been watching this with surprise. But, if the USA can elect Donald Trump, I can't image many countries not falling for insane leaders based on the push by media, lies, and ignorance.

I can recommend the Capricorn Village it's very short walk from Paradise Complex, SHA certificate and as far as I remember you can walk straight to your bongalaw bypassing the reception. https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/capricorn village patong/entity/CgoI_p_n-rbVrZ40EAE/photos?g2lb=4401769%2C4317915%2C4549823%2C4641139%2C4306835%2C4624411%2C2503771%2C4685655%2C4419364%2C2503781%2C2502548%2C4647134%2C4640247%2C4649665%2C4618983%2C4671752%2C4258168%2C4596364%2C4605863%2C4371334%2C4270859%2C4284970&hl=en-IL&gl=il&ssta=1&q=capricorn village patong&rp=EP6f5_q21a2eNBD-n-f6ttWtnjQ4AkAASAHAAQKaAgIIAA&ictx=1&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwjI2JTHjK71AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&ts=CAESABogCgIaABIaEhQKBwjmDxABGBASBwjmDxABGBEYATICEAAqCQoFOgNJTFMaAA

I also prefer to stay in República, but it might be considered too dangerous, grimy and seedy for many other people’s tastes. It reminds me of old school Times Square, pre-Guiliani. I personally don’t ever want it to change, but it is going through a bit of a rapid gentrification period — so all the fun might be over soon. When the seedy bars, video booth shops, street hustlers and hooker trannies are replaced with avocado bars and cupcake shops — then you’ll know it’s over.

The MAJOR risque seems to be-as I read more mainstream general visit-Thai fora (mostly farang male and Thai lady) that quite a few people were caught and even taken under Thai Royal Police custody out of their place/HTL as it was found-days after arrival!-that in the plane they arrived in was found someone tested positive and sitting too close by. With this omicron so much more infective the chances of encountering that must be much greater! As for Thai immigration not being able to just scrap this overtime-fine: do you now still have to learn that NOONE ever in a minor position anywhere in LoS will be allowed to scrap any fee/fine/amount to pay-this will open all doors to gross loss of income and embezzlement by such people claiming they scrapped it but put in their own pocket. Only the BoysinBrown manage their own shop for that. Thats quite logical Thai logic!

It certainly seems that way. From Chanel News Asia One surrendered Hong Kong hamster tests COVID positive as city lockdown grows HONG KONG: Hong Kong authorities said on Sunday (Jan 23) one hamster surrendered to authorities by pet owners had tested positive for COVID-19 and that more than 2,200 hamsters had been culled as the city struggled to contain an outbreak. On Tuesday, officials ordered the killing of hamsters from dozens of pet shops after tracing a coronavirus outbreak to a worker at a shop and asked people to surrender any bought on or after Dec 22. While a handful of hamsters had already tested positive for the virus, this latest case is the first involving a hamster in the care of a pet-owner that had tested positive. Despite a public outcry against the hamster crackdown, authorities urged pet-owners to continue to hand over their tiny furry pets given burgeoning health risks. "(The government) strongly advises members of the public again to surrender ... as soon as possible their hamsters purchased in local pet shops on or after December 22, 2021 for humane dispatch," the government said in a statement. As of Jan 22, a total of 2,512 animals, including 2,229 hamsters, had been "humanely dispatched" according to a government statement. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/surrendered-hong-kong-hamster-covid-19-positive-lockdown-2454076

There was a time when The Philippines, released from colonialism by its former master the United States, enjoyed one of the most dynamic economies in the world. It was also politically stable and seemingly a thriving democracy. By the mid-1960s, other countries in Asia were mired in their own problems. Japan was recovering from World War 2. South Korea was in a worse mess following the Korean War. Hong Kong was still a sweatshop about to be engulfed by the mainland's Cultural Revolution. Malaysia and Singapore were much too young to have developed their economies. So when the Asian Development Bank was deciding where to locate its headquarters, there was only one real option - Manila. What no one then knew was that within a few years The Philippines would start a long period of disastrous decline, headed by a murdering kleptocrat who had been voted into the Presidency in that same year - 1965. With America soon to become engulfed in its series of wars in IndoChina, Ferdinand Marcos knew his previous colonial masters needed him and the military bases he could provide - big time. They would in no way force him to accept the usual checks and balances. As power increasingly went to his head, he declared martial law in 1972. There then followed a period of plunder of the nation's wealth, extra judicial killings and a massive increase in dire poverty nationwide. Opponents were first silenced and then killed. His dreadful wife Imelda whom he created the Governor of Manila believed, or so she claimed, her job was to give the Filipino people the glamour that none could even think about when they could barely afford to feed their families. By February 1986, the Filipinos had had enough of the murdering thieving Marcoses. They booted them out in a People Power Revolution and installed in his place as President Corazon Aquino, the widow of a senator killed by Marcos. That should have been the end of the Marcoses who deserved to be consigned to oblivion. The family fled into exile in Hawaii where they plotted their return to take power again in their home country. Only Marcos himself was by now too ill and died in 1989. President Aquino allowed the rest of the family to return to The Philippines to face justice for the billions they had stolen and ensure it was returned to the state. This was a decision that many were to come to regret. Marcos' all-powerful wife was hale and hearty and his children had all been earlier installed in positions of power. All used their former cronies to build a wall of silence around their kleptomania. Alleged to have stolen up to US$10 billion, the state has so far only managed to recover little more than $3.5 billion. The body of Marcos was kept embalmed in his home province until a national burial in the Cemetery of Heros was approved by President Duterte in 2016. To escape from the law, Imelda ran for office - and won. Even today at age 83 she out of reach of the arms of the law as a Member of the House of Representatives. She remains cocooned in her fantasy world of beauty, fine art, haute couture dresses, goodness knows how many pairs of shoes - and the rock solid belief that her husband was betrayed and wronged. Why this should still be something many in the media are now talking about again is the fact that another Marcos, another crook, seems set to become the next President of the country in May. Bongbong is the couple's only son. 4 years ago he was pretty much out of favour. Thanks to Trump-like use of social media he has cultivated an almost totally different persona. He has been almost completely disassociated with his father's crimes. Now he is a clean-cut businessman promising Filipinos a great future. Sadly, memories are short and too many believe him. In a recent survey, close to half of all Filipino voters are ready to vote for the former dictator's son. Not surprisingly, the man is a liar. He studied at Oxford University where he claims he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts. In fact he failed in Economics and twice in Politics. He did not receive a degree. He enrolled in the Wharton School of Business and again failed to graduate. Back in The Philippines, his father made him Chairman of the Telecoms company Philcomsat in early1985. Despite rarely visiting the company's offices or doing any work at all, he drew a salary that was allegedly up to $97,000 per month. Since his return, he has played major part in ensuring the family's ill-gotten wealth remains hidden. He has consistently trashed those who accuse his father of his many human rights abuses. But thanks largely to social media, Bongbong the crook stands at the pinnacle of power in a country where the government is infested with corruption and where power remains vested in a small number of hugely wealthy and influential families. Marcos senior frequently claimed that he would make The Philippines the Singapore of East Asia. Lee Kwan Yew loathed Marcos and wrote of him in 2000, "a self-indulgent ageing ruler who allowed his wife and cronies to clean out the country through ingenious monopolies and put the government heavily in debt . . . Only in The Philippines could a leader like Ferdinand Marcos, who pillaged his country for over 20 years, still be considered for a national burial." Once Bongbong sits on the throne, let's be ready for all manner of pardons and the still undiscovered stolen wealth remaining hidden where it will never be discovered. It now seems clear that yet again the Filipinos will elect a ridiculous, yet highly dangerous, figure to lead it. Adapted from https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/12/14/what-is-behind-the-resurgence-of-the-marcos-dynasty

As I see it, the problem is one not uncommon throughout much of Asia. There is an assumption that one man one vote is the solution for democratic rule. That presumably is what the American colonial power assumed when it drew up the Constitution before leaving the The Philippines. Prior to to the US taking over as the colonial power, the country's Constitution had been based on the French model. That Constitution was immediately changed and in 1935, aware that it would eventually have to give the country independence, a new Constitution was adopted based almost exclusively on that of the USA. It has been changed since, but the earlier Constitution established the democratic principles by which the country would initially govern itself. It did put in place the institutions essential to a functioning democracy. And it is true that for a while the judiciary was independent and the first Presidents were acclaimed for their trusteeship of the post, particularly Ramon Magsaysay and Diosdado Macapagal. Then came Marcos, martial law and the descent. It is tempting to call Filipinos politically naive. As @TMax points out, Filipinos are addicted far more to popularity than policies. I cannot believe that the actor Joseph Estrada would have been elected in any other country. Even Duterte at the time of his election would only have had an outside chance - although with right wing nationalism sweeping much of the world, that might not be the case today. If Bongbong Marcos wins, as seems likely, it will largely be because he comes from one of the wealthiest families in the country and the fake history that is proving so successful in sanitising his father and mother's crimes. But I forgot in my earlier post to mention the dark horse. Another popular figure is in the race - Manny Pacquiao. Although he happens to be a member of parliament, he is a boxer who became famous because of his pugilistic exploits around the world. He is virtually worshipped in the country. He is also a noted homophobe. He has continually called homosexuals "worse than animals". He is also a bible thumper. So it would seem to this outsider that the choice is between one of two evils. I suspect Pacquiao will tamper less with the country's government. Marcos is the real danger man because he knows exactly how the country is run and knows exactly where his family's ghosts are hidden. So much for democracy!