Leaderboard

Day 1: The Quarantine 15 It’s no secret that my preference is for guys with a little bit of muscle on them. That’s just a preference, it’s like if men were all on a grocery store shelf, it’s the first one I’d pick out of the rest. But that does not mean that sometimes I'll venture further into the aisle and pick something fat-free, or something with more fat content, or something saltier (I don’t know what that means). I go with what is fun at the moment, and that kind of open-mindedness was improved by the pandemic, another unintended consequence of the event that changed all our lives. So in picking the bar to go to tonight, being pressed for time, I decided on the low hanging fruit, the one that has worked for me in the past, filled with my usual preference for boys. I also had to balance that with what Tiago, my companion, would enjoy the most as well. Granted, that this is his first time going into a Thai boy bar, or any bar that had escorts (he has not been to the saunas in Brazil, he said), so he was eager to just experience it all. So I had to pick one with a decent show. So there was just one bar I could think of that fit all this – Moonlight Bangkok. My first impression of Moonlight, July 2018: They are adept in using social media to evangelize their brand of boy bar. Which I admit bode well for them in the lonely months during quarantine. It is always interesting how any establishment that depends highly on reputation and hype dealt with the pandemic. In March 2020, as the world closed itself to deal with the pandemic, I remember Moonlight going from hyping Songkran 2020 (to which I was looking forward to): to temperature checks in March 15, 2020 (they tried!): to closure in March 18, 2020, with an expectation to reopen in 2 weeks (just like me who thought this was just a 2 week thing): to continued closure: to some reason the Moonlight models working at HotMale bar: to a final reopening at the end of September 2020: And a great show soon after, with an amazing model, Mr Jack, and his “sexist” underwear. i wish he would come back, he is hot: Through it all, they’ve maintained their social media presence, keeping the light on in that sense, and always kept everyone informed about next steps. I think with all the uncertainty with what pandemic has brought in our lives, having this reliable source of info, good or bad, was a comfort. Kudos to the management of that establishment, I think this should be an example on how to do social media, and customers are not left with gossip and hearsay to sustain them during those dark days. Back to the present: Happy Beer Garden has never changed. For some reason one of the waiters recognized me and asked me how I was. I do not remember him at all. Anyway, after a few pleasantries, I told him we were in a hurry to make a 10:30 PM show at Moonlight so we had to get our food in a jiffy. Since Tiago is Brazilian, he does not like spicy food, so I had to scour for the mild offerings in the menu. I settled on a chicken dish with rice, which he still thought was spicy. I told him to get used to it, since he’ll be here for 6 months. I also got a Thai Icea Tea to calibrate my taste buds and remind it how awesome Thai food was and to get ready for its many delights. Luckily the waiter was true to his word and we were out there in 15 minutes, which gave us plenty of time to saunter over that unpronounceable alley way off of Surawong Rd to Moonlight. I guess Mr. Nut is now the face of Moonlight? Great choice. Things that felt familiar: the 400 baht entrance fee with welcome drink, no changes in seating and stage. AC was on full blast. We get guided by a mamasan to our seats, which was toward the back and at the center, which I thought was pretty good seating. Tiago sat down, and looked around, took it in, smiling the whole time. He looked across the room, and found 3 boys, some in underwear, some shirtless, some in tank tops, some in pants. The boys rotated, but it was always 3 at a time on stage. Tiago then had a million questions, possibly the same exact questions I had when it was my first time in this bar, and in a Bangkok boy bar. Yes, all the boys are available for sex. Yes, you can use the number to identify the boy you want to off. No, most of them are Thai, but some are from Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. A boy costs probably 2000 baht to 5000 baht, depending on the boy snd the length of the off. Yes, most of them are tops, but there are a lot of bottoms as well. And the most important answer – Maybe, I can get a boy, but only if you’re comfortable with it. Tiago looks at me and shrugs. He tells me he always defers to me for that. “Let’s see who is hot among these guys,” he said. We were asked our drinks. Tiago, who doesn’t drink, ordered a water. I ordered a “rum coke”, which was a test drink I would order in every bar in order to judge who served the stiffest drink. This is a test I’ve employed in other establishments, and there was oftentimes a correlation between how good or strong my cuba libre (rum and coke) was to how much fun I’d have that night, since cocktails are of differing quality in the world. Tiago asks how much the drink was, I tell him it was roughly 55 Brazilian reais. “That seems really expensive,” he says. I tell him that this is like an entry fee, and tell him the entry fee to the Sao Paulo’s Lagoa sauna is 65 reais, without any drinks. And I tell him that we get to see this one-hour show, so it all is pretty worth it. The drink was pretty weak. Not a good sign lol. Before the show started, I see a familiar face among the rotating boys. The boy who has defined all my Thailand visits. The boy who other offs has been measured against – MonBoy, the Myanmar boy from Mon State. My first impression of him, in June 2017: I tell Tiago the cliff notes of my past relationship with MonBoy. He takes a look at him and tell me to invite him to sit with us. I mention to him to come over. He bows, but was hesitant, and then gets off the stage and goes over a group of 4 Thais sitting just to the left of the stage and talked to them for a bit. MonBoy then goes over to us. “Where sitting?” Mon Boy asks. Tiago schooches over to make a space between us so MonBoy can be sandwiched in between. Good sign. He greets both of us, and then leans on me and asks “Your boyfriend?” pertaining to Tiago. Good question. When we were planning the Doha-Dubai-Bangkok trip, Tiago brought up the subject of what were supposed to be to each other while traveling. This question came up when we went on that trial run to Mexico, when he was showing immigration hotel accommodations for Cancun where we were staying, which had both our names on it. He told immigration that I was his boyfriend, and I was American, which was code for “Don’t worry about the Brazilian entering your country, he is with an American who will pay for everything.” He even showed the immigration people our pics together (chaste ones having dinner, walking along Paulista Street, at the gym). I told him sure, this will work for Thailand too, but not in Qatar, or the United Arab Emirates. Not true, it did work, indirectly, in Dubai, where we checked in together at the Hilton. When we handed over our passports, the handsome check-in guy asked us if we needed a King size bed instead of two doubles. I replied “King, of course” and the guy didn’t even bat an eye. I reflexively said “Yes, he is my boyfriend,” after introducing him as such for a better part of 2 weeks now. MonBoy then looks at Tiago and shook his hand. Tiago, all Brazilian, pulls him in for a hug. They laughed. This might actually work out. After some initial greetings, MonBoy tells me that he is actually committed to a short time encounter with the Thais he talked to before. But he says that he can meet up after that if I was still interested. I told him of course. He gives me a kiss in the cheek, and gets Tiago’s left hand and kisses his hand, and leaves. This works out, no payment of an off fee. I explain the situation to Tiago. The show starts, and quite frankly, nothing has changed in the numbers, the drag queens, and the quality of the show. It’s like I’ve never left and just saw this same show the week before. I knew certain songs were different, and some numbers were different, but it all just felt the same. What changed me for, however, was I was with Tiago. He kept asking first-timer questions that were interesting and funny. Like “Is that really a guy,” or “Do Asian boys kiss like Brazilians,” or “Do these shows also exist in Brazil?” I tell him, no. The shows in saunas in Brazil were kind of different. Some drag queens, yes, depending on the venue, but the males did not have elaborate numbers like here. In Brazil, it was just a man, a very muscular man, stripping sensually to nothing but his undies, and then showing his ass, and then his erection, after the number was over. “Which one do you prefer? This, or Brazil’s way?” he asks. I think about it for a minute. I tell him it depends. Sometimes I like this spectacle and disciplined dance numbers. Sometimes I’d just like to see a large cock. So, “Os dois – Both,” was my final answer. “Very American of you,” he tells me. That was not the first time he has called me as such during this trip. Just some asides, and this might sound a bit petty, but I did notice some models were a little less defined than before. Don't get me wrong, they still look fine. The pandemic was hard to us all, and I am in no prized shape either. Maybe its because I was with Tiago, and therefore I was measuring everything with his (fairly large) measuring stick, but judge for yourself. 2019 in the left, when I left them last, and 2022 how I’ve seen them now: Mr York Mr Tum Or maybe they just had a big dinner, who knows. I did like Mr Korn A LOT. He has this cocky humbleness to him, and once in a while he would smirk and I see possibilities. Maybe a future off: The show finishes. Some live entertainment was next, and as advertised, it was pretty fun, and the vocalist, May, was pretty good I think this was a good addition to the bar. If we weren't tired, we would have stayed longer: I get a message from MonBoy, telling me he is going to his client’s hotel. We leave Moonlight. I tell him we were going to Patpong, to see what’s up. Next post, another Boy Bar to go to (which one, can you guess), and a familiar face, next.

I like all 3 forums: Gaybuttonthai.com Sawatdeenetwork.com www.gayguides.com I like Gaybutton more for practical information (how to stuff and how to get over bureaucratic issues), I like Sawatdee because it is more focused on Pattaya, And then, the grand-daddy of all of them - this forum, gayguides - mostly for 1.) for within Thailand - more non-Pattaya stuff, 2.) the global boards for information on Europe, South America, and Asia.

A couple of years ago we went to the botanical gardens. On arriving at the cashier's booth and peering to see if it was double pricing, the girl in the booth looked at us and said "you two are so old, you get in free".

Day 0: Brazil on my mind, even in Thailand Needless to say that I have changed some personal information of certain individuals mentioned, due to some weird stalkers in this site. So Brazil had me for itself for a better part of a year and a half during the pandemic. And when you get to know a place for that long on a regular basis, you tend to get to settle on what works for you best, after the initial novelty wears off. After running wild through the famous saunas of Brazil, I’ve actually grown tired of it all, believe it or not. Don’t get me wrong, sex with a variety of beautiful guys will always be on the table for me, but during this time, working remotely in Brazil had me looking for something more substantial, after getting tired of the run-of-the-mill sauna-show-cabine-programa routine. Because of the dire economic circumstances the pandemic has left some of the less fortunate of us, you can find that even more boys are available than usual. Most of them are after money, of course, but I have found that a few of them needed something else. I’ve certainly have met a few very interesting guys, who would not sell themselves in a Brazilian sauna, nor expose themselves in escort websites, but would like to earn a few dollars from you. I found these guys mostly from referrals from other boys, and they appreciate the discretion you give them, not being found out by familiars in saunas or websites, and they will pretty much do anything for you. And then there are those, when I tell them I am going to Europe or Dubai for some work or vacation for a few weeks, ask for just a one-way ticket to the place in question, and they will be more than willing (thrilled in fact) to accompany you during your stay, free of charge (you pay for incidentals of course), and when its time for me to go, they opt to stay in Barcelona or Paris or Dubai or London, where they try to earn the money they were after in the first place (by usually escorting). I am probably responsible for a (not) significant amount of Brazilians ending up in Europe or the Middle East, using this method. And then there’s this Brazilian guy who wanted to Thailand. Let’s call him Tiago. He is 28, European facial features, always bronzed skin, and let’s just say he is from the south of the country. Beautiful, of course, with a MMA fighter's body. Oddly enough, I met him at a Smart Fit Gym in Sao Paulo. He was a personal trainer there, and a working boy introduced me to him in one my visits to his gym. He didn’t work at the sauna in Sao Paulo, nor did he sell himself in the websites. He did, however, belong to a Jiu Jitsu team in Sao Paulo, and did personal training on the side to pay the bills. He has done some MMA fights (20+), but wanted to train in Muay Thai, in Thailand, to expand his resume. He intended to stay for 6 months in Thailand, and has saved up enough for the gym fees and accommodation in his chosen Muay Thai school. What he didn’t have was the airfare to get to Thailand. There has always been a Thailand-Brazil connection I wasn’t aware about till this trip. So during the next few months we talked about it that possibility, in between some dates and gym training with him, of course. Throughout all that he didn’t ask me for any tips during my time with him in Brazil, I guess to sell me the idea that he is trustworthy and worthy of the cost of an air ticket. So when I told him in April that I was thinking about going to Thailand, after a trip to the Middle East, he said that was perfect timing, because that would get him back to Brazil in December, in time for Christmas and the Holidays. He even made himself available for the two weeks before to accompany me with some business in Doha and Dubai, before heading over to Thailand. I told him I’d go the extra mile and take him personally to his Muay Thai gym, which was not in Bangkok, but was a plane ride away. He was excited, and so was I. I was as curious to get to know more about this side of his life, as he was about going. I took him for a test run to a nearby country just to see if we were gonna be good travel buddies. He passed with flying colors. So in the next few weeks we try to get our requirements ready for Thailand. As we were entering Bangkok in mid-June, we didn’t have to do a COVID test to get to enter Thailand, but we still needed to complete the Thai Pass, which was easy enough since we were both vaxxed and boostered and he was able to get official documents and QR codes from the Brazilian health authority after some expected red tape. We still needed COVID tests to get into Qatar, and to complete their version of Thai Pass (Ehteraz), but that was easy to do as well, with my help. I guess after going through all this for almost two years, a few more QR codes was just easy-peasy for me to complete. Two weeks in the Middle East with Tiago was a blast. He was game for a lot of my shenanigans, kept fit in the hotel gyms while I was working, and on my free times, he devoured all the tours and walking that was needed to explore the rich wonders of the area. He was even open to certain sexual exploration if he thought it would be fun to join in, and left me alone if he knew I wanted some alone time. Through it all those two weeks just flew by, and pretty soon it was time to go to Thailand. We were in Dubai to catch our Qatar Airways flight to Bangkok via Doha. I decided to cash-in some Avios points from my British Airways account and buy us Business Class tickets, which was a just a surprisingly cheap 40k each from Dubai to Bangkok. Since our flight was at 5:30 AM, we decided to not sleep the night before and just enjoy Dubai nightlife. After an interesting encounter with some gay Emiratis hanging out at a Starbucks in the JBR district in Dubai, we were on our way to the airport at 3 AM. At the check-in counter, the nice Qatar Airways lady didn’t even check our Thai passes or COVID vaccination cards or any of his documentation. She was flirty and had some tips for Thailand, since she’s been there once. We played along, and got our tickets eventually, if we were cutting it close to boarding time. She ended with bidding us good luck, and she was sure we will have a great time, since we were men. Not sure what that meant but we ended that convo. We were actually the last ones to check in. And the last ones to board. Still, Qatar Airways is famous for its top notch in-flight service, so we were pampered all throughout. I am always amazed by their first class service on one-hour flights. They are still able to get us 3 drinks and some yummy breakfast even with the very short (40-minute) flight from Dubai to Doha: Doha airport on a Sunday was a madhouse. The place was packed. And there were almost no places to sit at the Biz class lounge but we managed. This was indeed a sign the time of COVID restricted travel was over. There was still mask wearing in the airport but that was the only apparent thing I can see that was COVID-related. Since we were super tired from not sleeping the night before, we slept the whole 6 hour and half plane ride from Doha to Bangkok. We got woken up by the flight attendant to say that we had to unrecline our seats for the initial plane descent. Still, five stars to Qatar Airways, we were still served a full dinner while we were descending, since we missed all the in-flight service. As we landed, I got a bit of goosebumps and got excited. I was too tired to actually think about it before, but it just dawned on me now that I was going to be in Thailand after 2 and half years of being away. I started going to Thailand in 2014, and after a few years, the novelty has worn off. But after being away for that long I think the distance was all I needed to recharge my longing for Thailand once again. Tiago, of course, was beside himself. He was super excited to start his life in his new home. Once we were our of the plance we raced to immigration. All this was still super familiar to me, the walk to the immigration desks. We eventually got to the intermediary desks, the Thai Pass station: It was painless, they just needed to see the QR code, passports and COVID vaccine card. They attached stickers to our shirts saying we passed Thai pass and we were on our way to immigration. Since Tiago’s English was not that good, I knew I had to help him with this process (as I did in Doha and Dubai). At the immigration desk, I got my usual 30-day stamp. When it was Tiago’s turn, the immigration officer confirmed if the dates in the immigration card were correct. I said yes, so Tiago got his 90-day stamp. No other documentation was asked. Not the letters of invitation Tiago has from his Muay Thai gym, not our COVID vaccinations, not his yellow fever vaccine he got because that was requirement by the Thai government. Figures. And I always wondered, why people from the USA or UK or some other rich country can only get 30 day tourist stays in Thailand at a time, while Brazilians and Colombians, among others, can get 90 days? After getting our luggage, I immediately get 20,000 baht from the ATM. Then, as a favor, I immediately got Tiago a Thai SIM card from dtac for 90 days, which cost 1100 baht. I didn’t need one since I got Google Fi cell service. I then swiftly guide us to the ground floor to the taxi line, got a taxi ticket from the thingie, found our taxi number and taxi stand, flashed our AirBNB’s address and directions, in Thai, to our driver, and we were on our way, for a 40 minute ride to Silom. Along the way, Tiago commented on how efficient I was with getting things done at the airport. I told him that Thailand was a very familiar place to me, and I still knew how things were done even after years away. Since Tiago was Brazilian and naturally warm, he immediately tried to talk to the driver, who obliged with Tiago’s broken English and answered with some broken English of his own. Noone understood anyone though, since the accents were unfamiliar to each other, even if both were speaking English. Except to me of course, I was used to hearing both accents, so I was there to pretty much smoothen out the conversation. It was pretty entertaining, and pretty soon we arrived at the AirBNB. I chose to stay at an AirBNB for our Bangkok stay, after staying in hotels for two weeks in Doha and Dubai. An AirBNB will afford us many creature comforts that hotels won’t have, like a washer and dryer in the unit (two weeks in the middle east meant we needed clean clothes), two bedrooms for cheap (more on this later), and some basic kitchen stuff if we needed to make something. Also, it’ll give Tiago a glimpse of Thai domestic life that he will be living in pretty soon, something that is not apparent in the insular confines of, say, the Crowne Plaza Lumpini Park, even if I love that hotel sooooo much. It was 9:20 PM by the time we got to the apartment. I knew I wanted to at least check out a boy bar or two, even if we were both tired, so we had to hurry. And Tiago was hungry. So to save time, we showered together (hot water in the unit worked!), and prepared for the night ahead. Since it was raining, I decided to get us a Grab Taxi (which I downloaded on my phone on the way to the apartment), and set up our destination to the first restaurant I thought of that served food really quickly: Happy Beer Garden. As we get off the taxi and before we go in to eat, I look across the street: The end of Soi Twilight, and the beginning of something else. I remember that I when I used to eat at Happy Beer Garden, when it was around 8 or 9 PM, and I’d hear boys shouting at me from across the street, sitting in bars that don’t exist anymore, enticing us to join in the fun once I was done with dinner. Those were amazing times. I wonder if those time will ever come back. Probably not, as Soi Twilight was not coming back. Time to make me new memories. Next post, guess which bar we went to first?

Introduction If this pandemic has ever taught me anything, is that to never take anything for granted ever again. My last trip to Thailand was in December 2019. That trip was the only Thailand trip I had that year, having prioritized Brazil and Colombia that year. I was already figuring out that Brazil catered more to my evolving taste for both boys, sex and entertainment, but I was still wanting to go to Thailand because of the food, the locations, and yes, of course the boys. Thailand's unwillingness to reopen as soon as others have (during the pandemic), however, has given me the opportunity to visit Brazil more, thus deepening my connection to that country, at the expense of the Land of Smiles. Throughout all that though, I've been trying to go back to Thailand since it always will hold a special place in my heart. I remember my last international trip before air travel was paused during the pandemic. No surprise, it was to Brazil. I remember entering Sao Paulo on March 17, 2020. The plane was half full, the streets of Sao Paulo where empty, and everyone was sheltering in place, even if Carnaval ended just 3 weeks before. On March 19, Brazil closed its land borders. After that, I finally decided to go back home on March 23, 2020, fearing that flights back to the USA would be cancelled eventually. And I was right. On March 27 they announced that Brazil would close all its borders, even air, on March 30. Thailand had a similar thought process, closing its land borders on March 18, and then all borders on March 26, 2020. I know that I am not the only one to think that this pandemic was only going to be 2-week thing when it started. And then a month rolled by, and then 3 months. Since I was just at home, my routine started to change. I exercised more. Ate better. I did more video calls, both for work, and for friends far away, similarly stuck at home, wondering when this will all end. I’ve gotten lots of desperate cries for money from boys (Brazil, Thailand, Colombia) without any incomes with all the saunas and clubs closed. Though it all, I thought I did pretty good for myself, and actually was able to focus on other important things that I wouldn’t normally would have without the urgency of the pandemic looming all over us. I was pained of course, as I had plans to go Thailand over Songkran in 2020: And then something miraculous happened: Brazil decided to open up again. July 30 was the date, so after only 4 months of staying put, I was able to travel again. And it was glorious. Less people in airports and airport parking which meant less time needing to be at the airport. Less people flying which means either instant upgrades to Business class, or having a row to myself in economy. Less stupid tourists clogging up the streets, and less people in the streets in general. And yeah, you had to wear a mask in the plane, but at that point, I’ve gotten used to it, and counted myself lucky to still be even traveling to care. And with Brazil’s infinite wisdom, most of the clubs in Rio and Sao Paulo opened up as well, which meant that I was sometimes the only gringo at the premises. I certainly made the most of it, judging from these trip reports: Through it all though, I’ve had Thailand in the back of my mind. When the hell will it ever open up? 2021 rolled around. Apart from my monthly, multi-week trips to Brazil, I’ve pretty much scoured most of Western Europe, the Middle East and Mexico. But Thailand has remained closed. (I’ve also have been keeping my eye on Japan, which is still in a weird reopening phase. I’ve been dying to return.) I see domino after domino of COVID restrictions fall down. Except Thailand. I shared this in August 2021: Then the Phuket sandbox happened in July 2021, and while appealing, still was too restrictive for me. And news about the bars still closed was disheartening. Then Thai Pass was introduced in November 2021, and that felt more appealing to me, though the RT-PCR requirement, and the quarantine hotel requirement was something that was a bit unnerving to me. It just introduced (perhaps unnecessary) wildcards to a supposedly wonderful trip. I’d rather just go straight to Brazil, (even with their evolving COVID requirements as well – from medical insurance requirements, to COVID test, to having scrapped everything as of April 2022), and their open bars. I finally bit the bullet and bought my ticket to Bangkok last April. I was heading to Dubai in June, and found it interesting to instead head over to Bangkok after that trip instead of high-tailing it back to California. Also, Thailand dropping the COVID test requirement for vaccinated travelers was the deciding factor for me as well. The COVID dominos were starting to fall in Thailand. The June 12 announcement that the USA was dropping its COVID testing requirement to enter the USA was another domino falling that was just icing on the cake. It seems that the stars are aligning in just the right times for me to make a comeback in Thailand. So next post will be my preparations for the trip, and the REAL reason I am going to Thailand. P.S. To new posters, yes, I am always this long-winded when it comes to my trip reports. An example:

I don't think anyone wants to know more. Put it to bed!

Yes I’ve finally arrived after putting off the decision for quite a while. But following the introduction of the simple Thai Pass procedure I had no excuse to overcome my apprehension that it would turn out to be a mistake. i booked the £650 airfare through Expedia on Qatar Airline departing Manchester and changing flights almost half way at Doha. I thought about paying for business class but my economy upbringing caused me to save £800 with the penalty of 13 hours of mild discomfort. Arriving at Subanaphumi at 8.20 pm I found emigration an extremely smooth and efficient process putting the recent chaos at U.K. airports to shame. My Thai Pass was subject to a preliminary check during the long walk from the gate, but there were no queues at all at the desks. On approaching I hesitated when I saw that evidence of a hotel reservation was one of the requirements. I had a reservation at the Ambiance via booking.com but I had not brought a print out or saved the evidence on my phone or iPad. But the Pass, the Visa waver, and my passport got me through. Approaching the carrousel I was surprised to find my bag already circling and 5 minutes later I was on my way via the motorway. It could not have been much more that 2 hours from stepping off the plane to stepping into the Ambiance Hotel, where I had booked 3 nights. i was not intending to go out but after unpacking and establishing that I had omitted several items like my iPhone/ iPad charger and after taking a shower I ventured into a very quiet Boystown, which nevertheless looked exactly the same as during my last visit. Taking a motor bike taxi I arrived at Sunee to see that the only sign of significant life was Winner Boys, where outside there was two tables with boys entertaining I think 3 customers, who had recently abandoned the interior Gogo. Two boys joined me wearing rather sexy speedos to chat about the current state of the gay economy, which I helped by buying two boy drinks and giving both a tip. I had to steel myself to hold to my plan of not offing, rather to have a good sleep and wind down after the journey (I’m really too old for this long distance travel and sex tourism). So ended my first day by writing this report.

Hello Emiel1981, Back in 2015 I took a hired gay guide couple who gave me a road trip through Chiang Mai, Chaing Rai, Sukhothai, and then the fabulous Kanchanaburi region. Here is a link to my 2015 trip report - in case it could be helpful to you. Cheers and enjoy, M. 2015 trip report

I'm a bit of a bore about the north but the journey from Chiang Rai to Mae Salang, a Chinese town inhabited by the descendants of the defeated Nationalist army is, for me, the most fascinating in Thailand. Better than Doi Inthanon. Some of the roads aren't for the faint-hearted- narrow and mountainous-but what views!

He went from weeks chasing an impossible guy to 10min in toilet hahaha. Id say thats covers everything. He has graduated cruising 101.

Replace the word “hotel” with “boy”, it would become the story of my life

There are two Pullman hotels? I didn't know that. I would happily stay at Raya if I were you, @18past19 since it's directly opposite Moonlight which is your favourite bar.

From Bangkok Post A commercial district in the heart of the city, Siam Square is known as a trendy spot for people across generations. An entire shopping district where youngsters find the latest fashion, it's also an ideal meeting spot where plenty of restaurants and malls are located. It is also a limitless learning resource with many educational hubs and institutions. In the midst of rapidly changing trends, lifestyles, society and economy, the old commercial district has recently been rebranded as Siam Square Walking Street. Located on Siam Square Soi 7, Siam Square Walking Street recently opened after the Property Management of Chulalongkorn University (PMCU) continues its mixed-use projects. The area has been renovated over the past couple of years in order to develop urban communities with facilities that ensure a better quality of life. “Although the main street area has remained the same concept as a mixed-use area, we have changed and developed it to be more beneficial for people who shop on foot, whether it's the part of the main street where we now prevent cars from passing or the burying of power and electrical cables underground to create beautiful scenery and ensure safety. There is also a wide walkway and it is easier to stroll around the area," said Assoc Prof Dr Wisanu Subsompon, vice-president for Property and Physical Management, Chulalongkorn University, during a recent group interview about the development of Chula Smart City. The charm of Siam Square is unique in terms of diversity, and in terms of brands, there are shops that meet the needs of all customers, proving that Siam Square is a space for everyone. There's also an event space that has a variety to support all target groups as well as a large new area to accommodate growing demand," he explained. “Another latest project by the PMCU is Siamscape, a mixed-use building in Siam Square. With the concept of "Lifelong Learning", Siamscape has an outstanding design and unique architecture through the Façade Gate, the entrance that represents a door that will lead to a world of endless learning. There are highlights on the 9th floor with L.A.M.P (Learning & Meeting Place) and the "Urban Park" concept, as well as an outdoor area on the 10th floor, SkyScape, which offers panoramic views, the first in the area.

Many years ago, on a visit to Chiang Mai, I did quite a long trip up the Ping River and stayed overnight on a raft hotel. The next day we went on a trip through the jungle and also visited a primary school. It was something different and a very enjoyable experience.

I did a 3 day/2 night Isaan tour many years ago that included Phimai and Phnom Rung. I feel like Phimai is really underrated. My trip was arranged through a travel agent which is no longer in business. But it was a nice trip. I had a guide and driver. We stayed in Khorat for the the overnights and did day trips out from there. I always felt like arranging a guide and driver was cheap enough to make it worth doing rather than dealing with trains and local transport. You might want to take a look at Paddy Doyle's YouTube channel. He recently finished visiting every province of Thailand on a moped. After completing the mission he posted several "best of" videos if you aren't interested in watching all of his travelogues. [He's touring Vietnam now] He shares info about lots of places I had never heard of. Depending how far afield you have already traveled you might consider places like Sukhothai and the many nearby national parks. I personally would like to spend some time up in the northern mountains some time. I did Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai long ago with visits to places like Doi Tung and Lampang and Lamphun.

Ten minutes could be considered LT for public encounters 😀

In BKK, I think there’s only one thing that speeds up permits and permissions. It’s lack of same that delays them.

Yes, and it is hard to tell if you are the troll or he is the troll or someone else is a troll. When we find them, we flush them. But, the best way is for posters to actually meet others and have someone vouch for them. Then, we are sure. Sure you say? Well, no. I have met in person people who are only online to cause problems. They seem to get off on it. Why? I have no fucking idea. Life is short but some people have time to play games, etc. There is one poster I have met in person many times. Yet, he has many screen names over the years. When I find them, I remove them. His intent? Jeeze, I can't figure it out other than he may like talking to himself.

Trips are one thing....in Mexico, for example they will say what dates they are going to be where ever.....then there are some that are just throwing a net and try to get people to deposit money ahead of time to guarantee the appointment. So they post in just about every city....that's my red flag. If they are difficult during the conversation, another red flag.....if they're bitchy trying to make the sale, how good will their service be 😏

At least you are a case of OCD beyond Divine help, you should not need to use any filters. Just scout the first few pages, you will have more than enough. My record is page 5, a rainy day when I was super high. The number you quote is misguiding. It counts ads, and one escort have multiple ads. Additionally, I am not an expert in Colombia, but in my one visit to Medellin I had the clear impression that boys over there do not manage mileroticos like boys over here manage Rentmen. They manage it more like Backpage used to work. If you go far beyond the first pages, you will be in outdated territory. Finally, pay attention. Did you not notice after scouting the first pages, how repetitive some ads are? Easily you can find five different ads in a raw belonging to the same boy.

you are spot on!! 😉 my mission was not to leave any model left behind at the moonlight bar. i love staying at grand deluxe room of Raya. Indeed you were the one who hooked me up with them. there are some minor things that could have been improved. e.g. some of their towels should have been retired. AC in grand deluxe rooms is directly hitting your face/head in bed. there is a small charge if you need additional towels. otherwise all in all, i always have good experience at Raya. last couple times, they even let me check in earlier than their strict 2:00 pm check in time. Amara seems to be neat and clean. the bargains they are having now are very tempting.

there is a search function in the line next to the city.....not for a detailed search, but it helps. I usually search their phone number to see all the ads they have posted for inconsistencies , like age or position and where else they post. Sometimes I've seen someone post for multiple places on the same day which is a red flag to me.....

I stayed at pullman G hotel unfortunately. And yes it was good hotel, though size of the hotel is small for what i pay. Have not stayed at pullman king power

@spoon has stayed at Pullman before. I remembered him telling me it's a good hotel. You can try staying at different hotels and changing them every 2 days.

First bar: Screwboys (they opened back up for @numazu)

Great report @endlessdream I really enjoyed the read and the photos. @floridarob Yes, this brought back many memories. I had plans to go back there last year but with Covid, the trip was postponed. I hope to make it here in 2023 summer. Most likely just Rio and Sao Paulo but I will see.

This is a most sobering realpolitik post yet. I've been to only 1-2 non-garoto saunas in Brazil. Other slight differences are that, in Brazil, you might find some "very few" really attractive men, whereas in the US, you won't find one at all (at least since the Hollywood Spa closed down, LOL). And the guys in Brazil are a little more friendly and less stand-offish because they are still Brazilians after all.

Have a look at Richard Barrow's site on Facebook. Always interesting trips, even steam train trips sometimes.

Straight+ public place+ only ten minutes OMG when the romance had gone these days...

I keep it simple and easy @davet and I smile. One early afternoon in BA I saw a cute young man on the street as I was walking into a supermarket. I saw him again when I was selecting some wine. So I smiled and said I was looking for a good bottle as I’d been invited to a dinner party. I then asked him what plans he had for the evening. We ended up going back to my place. Another time, it was late afternoon (the hour of ‘merienda’) when I was on a busy street and a handsome young man asked if I was “free”. I didn’t want to make assumptions so I invited him for a snack. As we talked, I said “I like a younger man” and smiled; he was a quick study and said he liked an older man. I was shy as a teenager but one day I decided it was stupid to be shy. So I made myself talk to strangers and ask questions. IME most people are friendly and happy to talk.

I read your post about holding some private parties behind closed door in Golden Cock years ago. It was so memorable it has remained stuck in my memory. It seems you haven't done something similar for a while? Intriguing tidbits Indeed. Sometimes, I made references to all three of them (Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam) in the same post, so it's hard to place this topic in one particular sub-forum. Cross-linking + renaming probably work best but I guess this can only be done with help of a moderator.

The word "back door" tends to put some of us in an instant alert mode

My response usually is " I can't " I only sent money twice, once to guy who asked , he never asked again, and once to guy I liked who did not even ask but I learned he is struggling .

Some thoughts about Phuket. Tourism is starting to pick up again which is great, and even though it’s slightly busy, it’s not at pre-pandemic levels just yet. I’ve been here once before and I decided to visit again as I wanted a bit of a beach holiday. I stayed in party central patong (which is not really my scene, but I thought I would try) and don’t really recommend Seaview hotel for a number of reasons, one of which is I was put into a room with an adjoining door and I could hear everything very clearly from the room next door (including s3x, but fortunately, or unfortunately for them, it did not last too long). I did book the cheapest room type though and I didn’t really complain as I was only there 2 nights. Can’t fault the service though, it was actually very good. They also played the Thai national anthem at 8am each morning quite loudly and I’ve never experienced that in a hotel before. In terms of guys, I visited 4 massage in the past and I thought I would return as I had a good experience previously. The guy that massaged me in the past still worked there and remembered me (but not quite at first) but I chose him and fun times ensued. Later on after exchanging line details he even invited me to have drinks with him later, which I thought was nice, but declined in the end. Grindr has been a lot more active than in bkk and cnx and 2 guys I was chatting to also worked at 4 massage. I told them they can massage me next time I come to Phuket. Phuket is generally a little pricey but it’s a good time to travel now. Hotel prices are decent and it’s not yet overrun with tourists. Would I come back? Probably yes but I think next time I may try stay somewhere different, somewhere a little more relaxing. I stayed in Karon before so I’ll explore the different beaches. The smart bus at the moment is only 100 baht but I think it’s only a promotion for a while. I’m coming back to Bangkok for about a week before I go back home, lots of guys to see, and I think I might do some day trips to like Ayutthaya or the ancient city etc. Looking forward to it!

I know, they contacted me already asking when next installment of stimulus will be😁

Until now I have avoided this topic because I feel so strongly about it. I just cannot imagine that a government agency having the job of promoting tourism has the ultimate stupidity to take this position. They constantly talk about promoting tourism but then come up with a plan to screw foreigners coming to Thailand. Perhaps their mothers dropped them on their heads shortly after birth.

From Bangkok Post Hoteliers have expressed concerns about the government's plan to set dual pricing for foreign tourists and locals, saying the move is "impractical" and demanding the administration roll out effective promotions to spur tourism sentiment in an effort to increase room rates. The idea of dual pricing is impractical as room rates shift dynamically based on market conditions, said Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association. Hotels in each tier also use different strategies to set prices, she said. If demand increases to support hotel occupancy, then the rates will automatically increase, said Mrs Marisa. “Every hotelier would like to operate with higher and fair rates to gain a larger margin, but it is difficult to do so because of heated competition and oversupply. Operators have to use pricing strategy to gain cash flow," said Mrs Marisa. Suksit Suvunditkul, president of the Thai Hotels Association's southern chapter, said it is common for hotels to offer discounted rates for Thai residents and normal rates for foreign visitors, but hoteliers cannot raise the prices to levels tallied in 2019 because demand is too weak.

Thanks for taking the time to write @Latbear4blk about the current situation in Buenos Aires. I haven’t been back in some time and I’m intrigued by your observation. My view over the years of visiting regularly was that the legal sex industry in Argentina continued to thrive, either despite or because of the bouts of rapid inflation and the economic crises. Admittedly I had considerable success with what I term ‘amateurs’. They were young men that I met on the street, at the gym or in the malls. Some seemed to be especially interested in meeting a foreigner, an older man. Some even made the first approach. It helped that I speak Spanish and I dressed well. But I recognize that for them my prime attraction was my enhanced economic and spending power as a foreigner. Nonetheless, I met a wide range of middle-class, employed young men as well as handsome university students. I was happy to entertain them of an evening and pick up numerous dinner checks, as many proved excellent companions. And I have fond memories of taking the very best guys on trips with me, away from Buenos Aires to beach resorts in Uruguay and Brazil. It would be a real shame if times have so changed that presentable, young Argentine men are no longer interested in spending time with foreigners and earning some extra cash.

He must've thought, what kind of gringo did I get that thinks 80 is expensive, he must be a friend of floridarob..... lol

So, my plan was to travel to Rio for 10 days and work on a project that I need to finish during the days and attempt to make a new gay boy and drink caipirinhas in the evenings with contacts from prior trips. Unfortunately, due to bad luck and poor planning my two most favorite "contacts" are both out of the country at the moment. The apartment I rented in Ipanema using Marriott Homes & Villas also had an issue which was a real departure from my last two trips (no issues whatsoever, highly recommend) but that actually ended up working in my favor. You see, the prior occupant somehow managed to smash the glass top of the stove in the unit. Initially, I was told that it would be repaired the next day but that didn't happen and, on day three when it still wasn't repaired, they offered to let me out of my contract. Since I had just completed two whelming trips to the saunas (both places seriously need to up their cabin game), I accepted their offer, booked a somewhat expensive last minute flight to Salvador on GOL and an absurdly cheap AirB&B with a stunning ocean view that looked really nice in Salvador. Salvador is not Rio and it is definitely not Ipanema. So far though, I'm really enjoying my time here. Clube 11 is pretty decent. I went there this evening and saw a lean, toned, 20 year old that is exactly my type within 5 minutes of walking in the door and getting changed. He could tell I was interested so after a brief introduction he led me downstairs into the steam room and started to go down on me. Free samples are always appreciated but, well, he was very talented and he just kept going and going to the point where I had to ask him to stop which led to the following interaction: Me gesturing toward the cabins on the upper floor, "Quanto?" To which he replied, "Oitena" but, because my Portuguese is not that good and he is absolutely in the same league as the two young men that I had been planning to spend my week with in Rio and, in general, I've probably just spent way to much time in Ipanema, I heard, "Oitocentos" which is crazy high so I responded, "Você é lindo mas isso é muito caro." Fortunately, at this point he said, "Setenta" and drew a 7 followed by only one zero on my chest. I quickly accepted and had an amazing time with him upstairs. He will be coming to the apartment tomorrow afternoon. The view really is stunning. I'm hoping he will let me take his picture with the fort and ocean in the background. I'm staying in the Barra section of Salvador. Would anybody care to recommend a few decent restaurants?

Yes Winner was certainly thriving last night when I was there at 10pm with around 10 boys still there - 2 or 3 outside sat at tables with customers and the rest taking it in turns to dance or with the 3 customers including myself. Drinks are inexpensive and the music volume is reasonable. Boys were all in briefs apart from one in a g-string. It’s an Oasis in the mIddle of a ghost town. The owner certainly has got the formula right, but then it always used to be right in days gone by. Sunee’s decline could be judged by the motor bike taxi driver I engaged on second road not knowing where it was situated - I had to direct him. When I told him to stop at the entrance he looked down the dark deserted Soi appeared worried and said “sure ?”

Yesterday was a good one - my first full day in Pattaya. Firstly I got my iphone operational. I was under the impression that it was locked to o2, my U.K. service, and that unlocking would be difficult and that a solution would be to buy an old phone just to make calls back home and to potential boys. With that in mind I walked to Tuk Com when it opened at 11.00. Browsing around looking at the displays of old phones (around 1000 baht) I responded to a lady stall-holders’ “can I help you “ with “I hope so - I think this phone is locked”. She did something and replied with an emphatic “not locked” and described various SIM card options. However this needed my passport which I had left in the Ambiance room safe. Keen to get my problem sorted out with an obvious expert I went to and fro to fetch it by motor bike. Within 15 minutes my phone was equipped with a Thai SIM card plus 500 baht of data and a charger. My next task was to fill my wallet with cash using my bank debit card from an atm inside a bank (some years ago in Thailand the cash failed to emerge from a street atm and it was a lot of hassle to receive reimbursement) Thus armed my thoughts turned to boys and back at the hotel I logged on to Romeo having failed to understand how Grindr worked (i think it’s not properly installed on my iPad) I contacted a promising boy and within an hour he was with me in the room. It was a happy experience, principally because despite my worries, I was able to perform (non chemical aided) and he gave a 100% service, for which he was well rewarded. He said I had offed him 2 years ago, but I could not remember. My evening campaign was largely focussed on Winner Boy Bar, where at 10 pm the boys were still dancing in briefs inside. Selecting a cute one I tried to describe what my expectations were but his English was negligible and a rather unsatisfactory experience resulted. The preliminaries were fine but when it came to pénétration things came to a grinding halt with him stating - “I sorry -‘cannot’ . Oh well I thought you can’t win them all so he got minimum tip and I changed mode and read a book for an hour or so before sleep.

Some on here are looking only for sex. Others are looking to make connections and experience another culture. Neither position is wrong but I do think it greatly influences one’s response to the are free-Grindr-meets-a-good-use-of-time-while-on-travel question. Transactional sex is fine but I like making connections too. For example, last month when I was in Rio, I learned where to go in Rocinha to buy weed…. The gangsters have a store with with a large black pig named Elizabeth out front…. I don’t smoke but, well, it doesn’t get more authentic than that which is what I was looking for on that particular day of my vacation.

I remember going where they were selling massage oils, a big place. A handsome guy (25ish) , obviously working on commision really worked it. I told him I don't have anyone to give me a massage. A twinkle in his eyes told me he'd do it. we exchanged info and he came over that night, was a very good night with an awesome massage and a great fuck.

In my experience, the non-garoto saunas in Brazil are very similar to the (fast-disappearing) gay bathhouses in the USA — which means, basically, it’s the normal Western gay male social pecking order. The very few really attractive men are there to hook up with the other very few really attractive men. Pudgy middle-aged guys, bears, fem twinks, and other more commonly moderately to less desirables ordinarily “stay in their lanes” and wind up with each other. Not the case at the saunas with money boys — where cash rules everything around you. That’s the easiest and best shot for the average schmoe — who would ordinarily be overlooked by the 8s, 9s and 10s in sexually charged, physically important gay environments like bathhouses and circuit parties — to land an Adonis.