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I have not been to Phuket for its gay offerings for many years. In fact, I now do not visit Phuket because apart from the beaches and some restaurants there is not much reason to go when the world and his wife seem to descend on the island. One of my favourite Thai restaurants, though, is Baan Rim Pa. This is on a small cliff before Kalim Bay just north of Patong and virtually opposite the Novotel. The view is superb and we have always had excellent food and cocktails. https://www.baanrimpa.com/thai-restaurant-kalim/ If it is just a beach you are seeking and already have a Thai friend with you, I thoroughly recommend Khao Lak around 100 kms north of Phuket. There are lots of hotels here but they are very spread out and you will find you have the lovely beach almost to yourself. I stayed at the Marriott Resort some years ago and loved it, especially the ground floor rooms which have access to a small waterway that wends around the property and ends up in the main pool. Perfect for a pre-breakfast swim! Several local restaurants just off the beach.

Be patient. Once Screwboys reopens, you will have your twinks!

I agree to each his own. For me, getting to know some of the guys I've met in massage shops and bars has provided some of my best memories. I've found that once you get past the boiler plate exchanges, they're willing to share their personal histories with you. I travel 11,00 miles to meet them so I figure why would I not want to hear more about them.

Gaybutton, you are always welcome to post here regarding anything you wish. As I have said many times, your site was the first site I used to learn about Thailand and the bar scene here. I loved it and am forever grateful. If you are unable to get the server back up and you need a new host, I'll happily provide that for you for free. I can't manage the updates unless they are Invision (I don't recall what you were using) but that is the only one I know well. However, happy to provide a home for you if you ever need it.

Your hotel room would be one place...

For Bangkok and bars I would recommend to visit on Friday and Saturday. Mamasan told their show based on number of customers, they will cut the show if there are not much customers. Some of the boys only work on Friday and Saturday.

Some interesting facts about Thai names

everything is working now, sorry for troubles

The boys will be excited to see you!

... but without the Irish charm?

Yes. Like you I think I have a better understanding of the probabilities than when I first visited in the 1990s, but there is still a slight possibility of having an ill-chosen visitor. We all three (hotel, me, visitor) know perfectly well why the visitor is visiting, but since in Thai culture actually mentioning it would cause loss of face to all of us, that won't happen. SInce having the hotel check ID might prevent some unpleasantness (even if it's unlikely), and there is no downside, I think it's a good thing.

then perhaps best course is to stay home. In Thailand theft is not a problem, speaking from personal experience and yes 19 out 20 night I share my bed with stranger overnight when I sleep

Best to ask about July goings will be in August

In my recent experience weekends have many more customers in bars like Freshboys. I know we don't go for customers but more of them improves the atmosphere. Whether there are more young men available at weekends I'm not sure.

Today's edition of the Thaiger carried an article reportedly about a new provision of the Thai Pass program. I recall, however, that this policy previously existed on one form or another for some time now. From The Thaiger New info posted on the Thailand Pass website. The change, which starts tomorrow according to the announcement, will now allow applicants to arrive on a different day to the date originally approved in their Thailand Pass application, as long as it’s no more than 7 days either side of the original date. If you are travelling to Thailand at the moment, everyone, including Thais, need to register for a Thailand Pass, whether they are arriving under the Test & Go, Sandbox or Alternative Quarantine programs. Here’s the announcement… “Applicants can use their approved Thailand Pass QR Code to enter Thailand on different date of arrival if the new date of arrival is within 7 days before or after the original date of arrival as indicated on the QR Code. This starts from Monday, April 18 (tomorrow). CAAT (Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand) and the airlines have already been informed. You do need to rebook hotels and hotel van transfer plus change the dates on your insurance. But you don’t need to upload to the TP website. Just show at check-in and on arrival to health authorities.”

Numazu, pls don't take this as if I'm trying to - god forbid - shut u up; I'm not. It's great to get excited and plan ahead, but Vinapu got it right: it's hard to know what will things look like in July. Best to ask again in late June.

A boy I was with in Phuket 2 weeks ago mentioned the Paradise Complex bars are busiest on Friday and Saturday, YMMV depending on the types of guys you like but I wasn't finding much action there. I would focus on Bangkok or Pattaya for boy fun, and Phuket for beaches and touristy things. I've got a live-ish trip report going right now, second post is a summary of the Phuket scene. Might be of interest if you haven't seen it already.

In my early days, I was always pleased that reception checked and kept IDs; I felt it was for my own protection in two ways. Firstly, in the 90s there was a lot of concern about underage MBs and two cases of falangs being arrested while in the wrong company , one in Boyztown , the other in Sunee, made be particularly careful. And secondly, as a newbie, I was aware just how I vulnerable I was if I chose someone who was dishonest or unpleasant. I soon learnt better and never encountered such a visitor but my first visits were an entirely new experience for me and I had no one to whom I could go for advice. Perhaps there are guys today who feel the same? At least they have forums like this to guide them. By the way, the last three hotels we've stayed in -Tantawan, Ambiance and Agate, were still checking pre-Covid.

Suspect Le Bouchon is still not yet open in the new location. Passed by the top of Soi Nanta/Mozart on Sathorn Soi 1 the day before Songkran and there was still a lot of work going on. Two notes on the excellent recommendations. Eat Me is a wonderful up-market small Australian fusion restaurant that has maintained its standards for something like 20 years now. But its prices have risen very considerably and it's now nearer the top end. It's also not the sort of restaurant that you should walk into wearing a Hawaian short and shorts. The location of Ruen Urai in an old-style Thai house at the Rose Hotel on Suriwong is excellent as is its Thai cuisine. It's small and elegant, and looks more pricey than in fact it is. Book in advance and insist on being on the ground level. Upstairs there is no view and feels quite claustrophobic. For Italian, Zanotti on Soi Convent is near the top of the tree with prices to match. Much better value and more casual is Il Bolognese off Sathorn Soi 7. The owner for many years sold the restaurant more than a year ago and has moved to a new Italian restaurant off a soi at the lower end of Soi Ngamduplee (closer to Narathiwat). Sorry cannot recall the name.

Perth is great ! Can't wait for 2nd season of My Engineer to see how shy love between Ram and King develops

I must be less picky because in Decemeber only days when I left bar empty handed were those when I had other arrangements done already. And even I took cute twink from Dreamboys and to eternal shame on me I liked the experience. I agree about dress code (boys in jeans ) but luckily I find them sexy probably because I never wear jeans myself. As for best time to go I always generally say 'now', busy season means more boys but also more customers thus less choice

Despite the Baller and the Costeño offering me to hang out these last hours, despite grindr and scruff still tempting me, I decided to stay alone. It is the best way to cope with my traveling anxiety. As I have nothing else to do, I wanted to summarize a few tips, based in this only one experience I had. So daring and pretentious of me, but I do think these are some useful insights. Pack light. I made the mistake to plan for a week wearing two layers (underwear t-shirt and shirt), but it is just too hot for that. No top underwear is needed. Short pants are fine. I had read that the locals are not fond of casual, comfy clothing, but it is not true. Like Buenos Aires, this is probably changing. Casual wear is appropriate everywhere I went to. Temperature is very pleasant between 5pm and 11 am. Between 11 am and 5 pm, it was unpleasant to me. About rain, it was forecasted every single day I was here. However, it did not rain every day and when it rained it was just for as few minutes. Raining was not an obstacle for my plans, bur rather a very much welcomed refreshing event. Look for open, shady spaces. Even in the hottest hours (the issue is not really temperature but humidity) there is almost always a very nice and refreshing breeze. Be aware that if you are a foreigner, you are a target. Not necessarily of a crime, but many people will try to take advantage from you. If you are wealthy and your bank account is generous, you should not worry. Even the over prices are pretty affordable. I am probably the poorest contributor in these forums, and I found everything cheap. The most noticeable over price I suffered were the apanados. I paid 10K for each, when they cost 3.5 to 4K. Yet, when I saw what I got for 60K (16 bucks), I could not refrain a smile of happiness. The guy scamming mr noticed it and laugh with me. Max Avila told me that his current boyfriend lived in Medellin for two years without realizing he was paying twice the local prices. When they started dating, he learned about it. There are huge differences on pricing in different areas. El Poblado’s prices were considerable high than Laureles’. Even inside Laureles, you can notice the difference between the most gentrified areas around both Parque Laureles, and the least gentrified area around Avda San Juan (Calle 44) and La Setenta (Carrera 70). Bisexual friends, women are available for 60K, and straight prostitution is much more extended. There seem to be two “classic” gay concentrations. You have fancy bars and one discoteca at El Poblado, and you have a few bars and sex clubs in Centro (I have not yet explore the latter). Then you have a more contemporaneous and mixed gay places in Laureles, with a flagship in the dance club Industry. I have not been there, and will probably not be, considering my ears are still bussing after Club Oraculo. They will probably ask you, but make sure you provide the name of your building when you schedule a delivery or a guy. Something is wrong with the city’s nomenclatura, the boys tell me, and you may be sending someone to the wrong place. None of the guys I hang out with knew how to speak in English. There are guys who know, but I am sure it is a commodity that comes with a price. Older, hairy, overweighted men, the typical bear type, is a popular fetiche amongst young and hot men. I got a lot of sex for free, I mean very good sex with mostly very hot guys, but all above average guys, all younger than 25, without paying a dime. Even the boys that hang out with me for long hours and even stayed overnight, only expected me to pay all the bills while together. Indeed, it is transactional. However, my one grindr hook up, a fuck and leave, was zero transactional. The boy was a hot webcam boy, and he liked me. He kept contacting me at 2 am, when I was sleeping or out. Try to bond or deal with at least one guy you trust, and stick with him. He will play the role of the “espantamoros” i Morocco, and help you with good tips and recommendations, keeping you safe and from over paying. My boys did an amazing job at protecting and taking care of me. The Costeño has already checked me three times today, and there is nothing he can get from it. If you happen to be with two boys, and they are not clicking, ask them for their favorite songs. Immediately, they will start singing together, and bonding, and the ice will be broken. Respectfully, I think the reports about insecurity are overblown. Like in any big city, you should not walk alone at night. Comuna 13 is 100% safe. Centro insecurity at night is true. The killings targeting lonely gay guys are just a temporary issue, and the whole community is working hard to get the killers. Paisas are learning that tourism is a source of endless money, and are really focus on making their city more welcoming and safe for foreigners. If you are looking for an airbnb, anything in El Poblado, Laureles, Provenza, and the South is safe. Make sure you rent above the 5th floor, as you will have more breeze. Try to rent above 10th and with a balcony or terrace. You will have a better view (the valley is beautiful specially at night), and you will be sure there is a working elevator. I have seen 6th floors buildings without an elevator. Street food is delicious and very cheap. Just avoid beef, usually the cuts are very poor quality, hard to chew and even cut. Chicken, beef in small pieces, and (I guess, because I do not eat it) fish are good. Uber sucks. Download an alternative application. I will download again Didi for the next trip, I am told it works better. Those are the lessons I learned in one week. Feel free to correct any misinformation, if you think I am generalizing too much from my one little experience, or that I am repeating bulls shit the boys told me. I will be back.

Since I saw them drinking "pink milk" in Sotus, I had trying it on mytodo list, but when I went to Thailand I had completely forgotten about it.

Interesting time keeping there...or rather lack of it!

Leave your question for the connoisseurs, this was my first time here and Instill have much to learn. But I am puzzled by your comment about my lack of explicitness. Let me be clear. I am absolutely in love with Medellin, its culture, and its inhabitants. I plan to continue visiting as often as possible, and will be making plans to settle down here for part of the year after retirement. This place has totally displaced Brazil from my top interests. I hope that is explicit enough.

Still hoping that the subject can be kept in Thailand, I appreciate any info from people who actually are there now or have been there recently. This response is more appropriate in the Latin thread. But, this is a known effect of the internet, even in Thailand. I've known countless boys who never ever think of setting foot in a sauna because they feel "dezvalorizado" or devalued in the saunas. They don't like how 'some' clients treat them in the sauna (talk to them for hours, ask to show the goods, lay hands on them aggressively, waste their time, and still not go out with them or pay them). In websites, they do get bombarded by countless requests for pics, but at least they are in the comfort of their own homes, they can attend to all hours, and it pays more. The saunas will always be a venue for the ones who need instant cash, and for those who don't want their pics out there in public due to privacy concerns, but generally there are countless more non-sauna boys out there who are available. Even the gogo boys who would normally would ply their wares at the sauna wouldn't do it because of their feeling that the sauna is just a constant series humiliations for them, but would gladly go out with a client if the interest (i,e. money) is there. While yes visually the saunas are really where its at, I find having sex in the saunas to be non-ideal. Cleanliness, quality of facilities, and sometimes the stress levels of the boys (that you expect to perform for you) because of having to ply their wares for hours, doing many programas, before they get to you affect the quality of the experience. While the popular days of the week (especially at the end of the month when the rent and child support is due) in the saunas make it hard to get available rooms to do the deed, I find that more boys go on these days that don't go on slower days like Sundays (because there are fewer clients) appear on the popular days, and if I can't go out with them in the saunas, I get their numbers and set up a rendezvous later, in the comfort of my own apartment, and maybe grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying the city I am visiting. Lately, I've found myself not taking boys to the suites on the day I see them, and just meet them after or the day after and get to know them more. I think this is obvious, and attitude is everything. I am merely asking about best days to go with the larger number of boys in the week, in the Bangkok boy bars. There, I derailed my own thread lol. On to Thailand: Thanks you two for this. and i miss both of you! i do intend to go to Soi 4 since I've had great memories in the past. Looks like there will be a lot of excitement to go around! Any more tips? I am looking forward to this trip. Any Phuket tips as well?

Everything will be ok in a few hours. I'm on travel and missed invoice to pay.

Thank you very much. I very much appreciate your entire post. I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does I will likely take you up on your offer if I decide to continue doing this. One thing is for sure - I will never use a commercial web host server again. I've been around for a very long time, even before this board or the Sawatdee board ever existed. Some may remember the days of the Gay Pattaya and Dreaded Ned boards. That's when I came into the picture. I've been doing this ever since 300 baud was considered high speed, when a 20 meg hard drive was the top of high end hardware, and when the precursors of modern boards were run by what we used to refer to as sysops. So, if it turns out I really have come to the end of the road, I hope it won't be because of something as useless as a war. Here we are in 2022 and we still have wars? Anyone care to guess where that appears on my "I Don't Get It" list? If the problem is something that can be fixed, Moses will get it fixed. Just have to wait and see.

Hell, I'd be excited to see @numazu!!!

I second the recommendation for Le Bouchon for when it reopens. I always enjoyed the ambiance and the food, and it was very convenient for the bars afterwards too! Less so in it's new location sadly.

Correct https://www.facebook.com/lebouchonbangkok/ But probably not open yet.

From CNN Travel Experts are predicting a summer of travel chaos. Here's why (CNN) — It's time! Travel restrictions are easing, infection rates are settling, you're fully vaccinated, and you're finally thinking about going on vacation. This is the year to make up for the holidays you didn't enjoy over the past two years. You've likely saved for two years to make it a good one. This -- finally -- is it. Or is it? While you may have got all your ducks in a row, the same can't be said for all of the travel industry. Not only are there ever-changing rules on testing, vaccines and quarantines to abide by when traveling; but once you've sorted your side out, getting to your destination looks set to be fraught with difficulty. Top of the chaos board? Aviation. The industry was, of course, decimated by the pandemic -- but many airlines and airports currently seem unable to cope with travel's resurgence. Countries on both sides of the Atlantic are seeing a slew of canceled flights due to lack of crew, long lines at airports thanks to understaffing, and the kind of rates for rental cars that make buying a vehicle look cheap. That's, in part, because everyone has the same idea as you -- only this week, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced that March 2022 had been the carrier's best month for sales in its history. Facing unprecedented demand, the much-reduced industry is struggling to cope. In the US, things have been brewing for the past year, as domestic travel has taken off again. Meanwhile in UK, the chaos at major airports has made the news every day for the past couple of weeks, and seen the national carrier, British Airways, reported to the industry regulator for potential law-breaking. The flying experience may be smoother elsewhere in Europe, but car rentals are not. A bubble car can set you back more than your hotel -- and that's before you factor in rocketing gas prices. Traveling within the US? That "carmageddon" is hitting just as hard. Welcome to a summer of chaos? Let's hope not -- but industry figures rather fear it will be. "I think it's a preview of things to come -- and I do think things are going to get worse," says consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who's been monitoring the situation in the US and Europe. "The summer will be chaos," he believes -- so much so that he's advising his followers to avoid Europe in August, the peak of the peak season. That airline chaos? He lays it squarely at the door of the airlines. "I think we've been seeing some delays related to the pandemic, but I think they're baked into the equation at this point -- I don't think that's really a legitimate excuse," he says. "It's everyone's fault except their own. If they took a good look in the mirror they'd realize that during the pandemic they downsized and laid staff off, and now demand has come surging back and they're caught off guard. They haven't been able to staff up fast enough to meet demand." Continues with photos at https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/travel-chaos-summer-2022/index.html

I will explain what I believe is going on. I was afraid of this - that due to the sanctions imposed on Russia there might be problems for both the Sawatdee board and my Gaybuttonthai board and that, at least for now, appears to be exactly what has happened. I think most of you know Moses is Russian and lives in Russia. He has his own server. Some of you may remember that not very long ago my board was having all kinds of technical problems that even Moses was not able to repair because it was all being caused by the server side. Moses was kind enough to offer to let my board be hosted on his own server. We moved my board to his server. It has been there ever since and has worked perfectly ever since. That is why both boards are currently down. Both boards on the same server. If the sanctions have blocked access to his server and if he can't find a way around it, I don't know what will happen, but it doesn't look very good at the moment. As for my board, I can't even move it to another server because I have no more access to it than any of you have right now. I do make periodic backups, but that doesn't do any good if I can't access the software on the server itself. Right now it is wait and see. I have no present intention of setting up a board on another server. I would have to start the whole thing all over again and I'm not inclined to do that. If Moses can figure out a way to get our boards working again, that would be great. If he cannot, then I made no decisions just yet. After all, I could be totally wrong about why our boards are down and Moses might be able to quickly get the problem fixed. For all I know, the problem may have nothing to do with the sanctions and it just as easily could be that something blew out on his server. So, for now I am in a wait-and-see mode. All I can do is just hope my board is not another casualty of this war. In the meantime, if I wish to post, as long as Michael permits me to post here, this is where I'll do my posting for the time being. I plan to continue trying to keep everyone up to date and well informed as best as I can.

The weekends have been doing ok in Patpong. Soi 4 seems full everynight. Grinder full 24 hours a day. A mutual friend of ours went to Fake Club last night and said packed. The entertainment is here. You might just have to look a bit harder. Though I think the difference from today till July will be much better I’m sure. As soon as they open the border crossings the supply of company will go way up. And hotel and Airbnb prices are great.

It's not only a case of international carriers adjusting routes to avoid Russian airspace, Russian carriers run the risk of their leased Boeing and Airbus equipment being seized by lessors. The current issues of Aviation Week reports that 78 have already been grabbed. This leaves only 193 (Russian-built) aircraft available for international passenger service out of a fleet of 1,367. Meanwhile, US carriers have not only seen business return to pre-pandemic levels but some are surpassing that mark. The surge, however, comes with its own set of problems as airlines have neither sufficient pilots or flight attendants to handle the demand. Some are trimming capacity going into the busy summer season. Jet Blue (which has its sights set on buying LLC's Spirit and Frontier) faces the strongest headwinds because it has the greatest relative staffing shortfalls. Delta is the current favorite of investors and not only because it's been posting good numbers. A decade ago Delta purchased an oil refinery in Pennsylvania to supply future jet fuel requirements. Some observers though it was ill conceived, especially when the pandemic drove fuel prices down. Funny how things can change on a dime.

Actually much to my surprise Thai Lion Air DID send me a refund during Covid when asked. I called at the start and they said "yes it's being processed", needless to say no refund arrived. I called again a few times more over the next few weeks and was told the same and "yes it's being processed". So, needless to say I soon mentally wrote off any chance of it ever arriving and and moved on, quietly cursing them at the same time. BUT sure enough about 6 months later without any further chasing from me it arrived into my bank, totally unannounced and without as much as an accompanying email to say it had been sent ! So it seems that sometimes, if you believe hard enough, that even in Thailand, just sometimes, miracles CAN happen ! As an aside to that though as my flight was only an internal one, costing only about £150 or so, , me in my bloody stupidity rang them while making a round of other calls, from MY MOBILE as I already had it in my hand !! Thus meaning that £150 refund ( which was reduced to about £110 from memory for "admin processing" reasons) actually ended up being less than the cost of the cost of the calls on next mobile phone bill as each call involved in for several long, putting me on hold sessions - direct to Thailand from the UK ! So my success in getting my refund was somewhat bitter sweet in the end it seems ! 🙂

Definitely pursue all options. Four years ago I had a fully-refundable economy ticket that Qatar was reluctant to refund. I finally appealed to bank that issued my credit card and it posted a full credit to my account and debited Qatar. During the height of pandemic in 2020, Singapore processed a full refund on a discounted ticket because Thailand was closed.

Seems like you hit the JACKPOT my friend...good sex, good company and wonderful museums. I'm so happy for you and on my next trip to Brazil I will be include a stopover in Colombia.

I and not only me on this forum don't mind spending money on straights as long as they do their part and often they do with gusto,

You seem to be enthralled by Kremlin disinformation.

Well, Putin IS a war criminal. I understand abuses by soldiers on both sides, but policy is what makes a war criminal. You cannot defend Putin's systematic bombardment of civilian targets. You are right on pointing out to USA hypocrisy and double standards, but Putting is indefensible.

Putin,Tucker Carlson,and Tasso Jr. all say it is so.