Leaderboard

I’m 64 and have been retired for seven years. I spend 5 months every year in Pattaya, the rest in USA. I find I’m happier in Thailand. I still love the sex, even though there’s less choices now. And I spend 2 or 3 months with my money boy boyfriend. I think it’s him that makes it good. He’s not afraid to be seen with me, and we have a nice routine. We wake up about 2 pm and have a meal , sometimes hang out on the beach. I’ve read that paying someone to love you can cause depression. I’m aware ot that and accepted that he loves my money more than me,lol. But I’m certainly not lonely with him. Half the battle I guess. I cannot live in Bangkok because of the pollution. Pattaya is a bit better in that regards. I’m an introvert and I’m easily entertained! I try to learn some Thai but I don’t have to. I’ve found Great Depression since I came back to USA after Covid. I’m very isolated and lonely in the USA. I suppose I could find a guy near my age here. As long as he doesn’t mind me going to Pattaya for 5 months, might be hard to find someone like that. If I was rich I’d just retire in Thailand. It’s the fear of not being able to afford health insurance latter on that keeps me going only 5 months. Also I’m healthier in the USA. The air cleaner, healthy food, and I like my doctors here. I swim in Thailand and in USA I use a gym and walk. I need to break up the workout routine. I think Olddaddy, you’re right about being bored in Jomtien. Jomtien is boring! I sold my vt condo there. I think you’re in a good position though. You’re in Australia, which is nice and close, so you can adjust your trips better. You’re an introvert like me. You can pursue sex and do other things, you need to look hard and you’ll be surprised what you might find. But most importantly is having someone you can count on, if you’re sick,etc. I have same problem! You can contact me if you’re there when I am, I’m always there for my friends.

I know many retirees, including myself, who live in Pattaya and have no problems. No one I know wishes to return to their home country except, maybe, in an urn.

I am the guy that Olddaddy is referring to. What he wrote are also my concerns - meaning will I fit into a new retiree life in Pattaya/Jomtien. I have left my doors open so that I can return to Europe (or to some other destination) - where I live now - if I won't like Pattaya/Jomtien. I am originally from the USA and I left the USA in 1999 as a result of some gun violence that occurred to a friend. It was in Colorado - our ski buddy group went out for a beer. I was tired that night so I left earlier to go home. Our friend was the last person to leave the bar that night - he went out back to the parking lot to get in his car - some random guy came up to him and said give me your wallet - he replied NO and the killer said, good-bye and shot him dead at point blank range. After his funeral at one of the ski group friend dinners, my friends told me, hey, we are going to get our gun licenses - do you want to join us (back in 1998)? I replied, NO thanks - in fact, I will use this opportunity to leave the USA to finish my undergraduate studies that I never finished. I hate gun violence!! So, in 1999 I moved to Rome, Italy and started my new life there as an older student at the university. Just shy of the first year, I almost moved back to the USA - as the culture shock and language barriers were keeping me from fitting in. Of course I fit in with the younger students but I did not click with them as they were just there for a one semester abroad party. I persevered and seeked out an Italian who could not speak much English to live with and after living with him for 6 years - I was able to fit in, make real friends, learn their language, get my Italian citizenship, and find an international career. So, what I learned in my early years in Italy - I am hoping will give me the strength and perseverance to help me fit in and adapt to my new life to-be as a retiree in Pattaya/Jomtien. I believe that if we encounter loneliness - then it is our own responsibility to overcome it. I am also an introvert - but I can force myself - when needed - to be extroverted. So, I will push myself to create a network in Pattaya so that I do not become that lonely person in a nice condo overlooking the Gulf of Thailand wondering - Oh my GOD - what have I done. If I find myself in that predicament of loneliness - then I will only have myself to blame. My life will not ONLY consist of the Jomtien Complex, the gay beach, Boyztown, and Sunee. I see that there are so many additional things to do in the environment, nature, helping out the less fortunate, joining the expat group PCEC Pattaya City Expats Club, continue with some projects that my former employer would like me to work on, use Pattaya/Bangkok as a jumping off point to explore the nearby countries, explore Thailand in a more deeper way - after watching Paddy Doyle's great adventure where he explored ALL 77 of the Thailand provinces - I realized that I also want to do that - and it would be so cool to do it on a low powered motorbike like he did. So, in summary, do I fear all that Olddaddy wrote - HELL YES!!! but, I am not getting any younger and I have lived in the North American continent (New York and Colorado) and then the European Union (Italy and Hungary) - now it is time for Asia and all the excitement that this will bring to me for the last chapters of my life.

For me, I retired some time ago now and the thought of moving to either Thailand or the Philippines is still very much on my mind and still relatively relative young I imagine still plenty of time to enjoy life. I too am a bit of an introvert so not having a lot of friends over there to socialize with is not a big problem, I can always find something to keep me interested as I am interested in history and other cultures so studying would keep the mind busy. There is quite a difference between the countries I have thought about, retirement visa or other visas I see the Philippines is so much easier (SRRV visa for the Philippines) and there isn't the constant reporting or extensions of the visa. Health care is a concern and taking out private health insurance would be a must no matter which country is the choice. For Thailand I would be happy to live in Bangkok as it has everything a person could want with plenty to do, non sex scene as well as sex scene. There is good health care there with the private hospitals etc but in the place I like in the Philippines, if something goes wrong it is a very long trip from the mountain province to the quality private hospitals in Manila. Also in the mountain province there really isn't a lot to do so study wise I would have to rely on the inetrnet which isn't as good or reliable as that in Thailand. High on the list would also be travel around the country of choice, this would also be fairly often and another way to stay occupied. Both countries have many places that I would love to check out so overall there is plenty for me to do and see either way. Food wise I must say Thai food is the hands down winner even though I still enjoy Filipino food. My current thoughts are leaning towards Thailand but things and minds can change so if the opportunity does arise and I decide to make a move then some serious thought and planning would have to take place, in the meantime I can still dream of what it would be like.

I retired/left the workforce 10 yrs ago at 48 yrs old. It was between Mexico and Bangkok where I wanted to move to, Pattaya was out of the question, is great to visit but I couldn't imagine living there. The more I looked into in, Mexico was the clear winner. Easier to get residency and no reporting BS and no keeping money in their banks. Once a resident in Mexico the only thing you have to report to immigration is any change of address. I built an impressive house that would cost millions in the USA.....Also, is less than a 2 hr flight back to the US if I needed to.....almost 2 yrs ago I needed to have my gallbladder removed and flew to Boston. Merida has great hospitals and Doctors, however, I'd prefer a Boston hospital over international hospitals when having the choice. I got a little bored after a couple of years and opened a NY Style Pizzeria.....that has kept me more than busy. In countries like Mexico or Thailand, having even a small business like this makes you sort of a celebrity. You hear "he's the owner" just like in Thailand, he's the owner carries big weight. My family isn't close and most of my friends have family and careers, so I hardly saw them. I hang around with almost exclusively locals between 18-35 and it makes me feel/look younger than I am. Plus Spanish is much easier to learn than Thai .....😝 I could imagine if I did go to BKK, I'd open a business there too....the bureaucracy in both places are stupid, but not impossible to overcome. I did all my own documents and even have a liquor license, all done without any bribes. Merida is in Mexico but corruption, although it exists, isn't as bad as other parts of Mexico or probably Thailand. I read somewhere that 72% of Americans live in or close to the city they were born in. I lived in Florida for 10 years and is a very transient state, many people end up going back to where they came from....moving internationally is a huge move and with a change of language, culture and politics, isn't for everyone.

I have a good friend who is nearing retirement. He's already 66. For years he's been talking about the need to have friends around in old age to help care for you. He recently had back surgery and thanks to his sister and several friends he had a good network helping him out in his recovery phase. He and his oldest friends talk about creating a group home of sorts for themselves so they will always have each other nearby. He's an extrovert so I think he really needs people around more than I do. As a pretty strong introvert I am able to entertain myself pretty well. The last couple of years of the pandemic I haven't really interacted with many people. I've been working from home full time since it started. Most days I don't leave my apartment. I do talk to my best friend on the phone almost every day which does help. I expect that if I tried to retire away from where I have spent the last 32 years it would be difficult. While I don't have a huge number of friends, my small network is quite reliable. Making new friends at retirement age is likely to be difficult for most people - especially so for an introvert. While I don't know that I would be any more lonely there than I am here, I think it's likely there would be a real degree of isolation being on the other side of the world. Thailand doesn't seem especially stable - but I'm not sure there are many places these days that are. But the rules there - such as they are - can change quickly. My current expectation is that I will spend several months each year traveling (at least for the first few years). Rather than retiring to Thailand full time I think I would want to go for a couple of months at a time. But home base will still be where I am now.

Thanks, Olddaddy, for your brutal honesty. The issue of aging and loneliness is something I believe all gay men have to come to terms with at some point. It seems to be happening now for you. Some on the forum have found a life partner and that affects their decision to retire to Thailand. Others find that they're simply happier in Thailand than they are in their home country. But for most of us, Thailand remains a frequent destination but not our home base. It has crossed my mind to retire to bkk but I wouldn't consider it unless I could first master the language. Learning any new language is more difficult with age but still possible if you're adequately motivated. I'm not and I can't envision a life in Thailand without being able to communicate in Thai. If you're seeking boyfriend material, maybe just start looking for friends first. Friendships can have a way of turning into more meaningful relationships over time. But if you begin by limiting your field of candidates to sexual contacts, you may find that the relationships never grow beyond that point. In any case, you're still a relatively young old man. You have a right to a happy future and I wish you well on your journey.

The major problem Is that Thailand changed dramatically over the last twenty years : Retiring nowadays is more complicated the immigration rules are more restricted and changing all the time makes things more uncertain and difficult planing retirement on the long term. Thailand become much more expensive than it use to be and the strong Baht isn't helping either. Pattaya gay scenery shrinked dramatically Sunee Plaza almost don't exist anymore , most of the gay bars at Boyz Town closed so most of vibrant gay life in Pattaya used to have is gone . In the past many Thai boys genuinely seeked for falang boyfriend now it's changed most of the boy are money boys and straight so the chances to find real Thai boyfriend are very low.

I prefer the Amara and have just booked three night there in September. It's about a five minute walk from the New Twilight Male bar and five more from Moonlight, Hot Male, DreamBoys etc. The Raya once steps from Twilight is now next to a construction site. It hasn't moved just the developers have moved in on Twilight. If debating between the two, recommend a @vinapusolution...a few nights at each. My version of this is Amara to start, then Pattaya for a few nights, then back to Bangkok with a stay at the new Quarter Silom hotel.

I’ve stayed at both and like them both, for different reasons. But, for the same price, my choice would most definitely be for Amara. More upscale, especially friendly and efficient front desk staff, excellent bedding, rooftop pool, executive floor lounge for afternoon drinks and breakfast (currently closed, I think). I always stay on a high floor on the side with view of the Mahanakhon tower. That’s the one thing I dislike about the Raya, not only no view but the windows are tiny. Once they put me in a room 1 floor beneath reception and it was quite dreadful. I think it was under a steam room or something. Quite dark and dank. All other times I was on an upper floor, that was ok.

Today I learned that there is a street food buffet where you can eat all you want for 50 Baht. It is along the fence at Lumpini Park. Look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4gzJK2LmuU One more interesting and wonderful thing in Bangkok.

My last night, i will usually invite the guy i like the most for an overnight, and no bar visit at all. I rarely take early morning flight so i usually have the room until check out. So i also either have another massage in the morning, or go to massage place for my last massage before heading to airport.

Do what locals do when seeking cheap retreats, go to JB, malaysia hehehe.

So close and yet so far… I was writing this trip report in a lull in my travel schedule. And I almost made it to my final posts but not before I started traveling again. Let’s see when I can finish the posts. In the meantime, a view from my seat today. Can anyone guess where I am and where I’m going? @floridarob you already know the answer.

yet another Medellin hottie on Chaterbate (does anyone there do anything but CB for work?) I'm sure very approachable but a wad of fur down under. https://chaturbate.com/connor_wesley1/

Do you realize the entire focus of your post is about the gay scene, bars, and boys? Is that, and only that, what you will be looking for under retirement?

Until these bigoted religious organisations can appear in public alongside their "God" for all of us to see - and not one single religion has ever been able to present him to us in the flesh - then they should keep out of any debate which wishes to change the way people live their lives. Their particular religious rules and beliefs should only apply to themselves.

I booked Raffles. The few guys I've located on hunqs are willing to come visit and assure me that they have visited the Bristol and Raffles and had no issues. Hopefully that will still be the case. Very reasonable overnight rates, equal to about 1 hour in NYC. I'm thinking of doing multiple guys in a one day...lol. One belarussian guy I met in Copenhagen is my favorite and he's now working in Warsaw. He's booked for the first night. He does everything well and without even prompting. Two other guys committed to meeting but we'll see. October is a long way away. Going to Berlin after that for Hustlaball, hopefully there will be some cute porn stars from Belami if I don't get lucky in Warsaw.

Before Covid there was a small pharmacy near Tartawan Hotel across the soi from Tawan that sold Cialis. Tawan has now moved but hoping the pharmacy is still there. Any info?

If you are a fan, you may be interested: https://ilikepinga.com/2022/07/30/interview-with-sean-xavier/

Well for some of you it's only yearly trips ,so If your departing the next morning or next day for your home country,do you do anything unusual or by routine? Do you go out and rage that last night,off several boys and orgy or stay up all night in bars if you have a early morning departure? Those of you who visit Pattaya do you make your last night in Bangkok to be closer to the airport? Anything routinely you do on your last day/ night?

My flights usually depart at noonish or just past midnight. In the later case I always book the room for the whole night to have an acess to shower and a bed if necessary even if it,s partially unused due to earlier departure No special routine on the last night but I try to keep it busy and if I have a choice I prefer my last guy or two to be performance tested one to avoid upsetting surprises

I do have a boyfriend(s) and do go to the gym but have no interests or hobbies. I like to socialize with some friends and do enjoy the bar scene, but only at night. I have been coming here for 20 years and now made Pattaya my home. Just another old farang who enjoys sex whenever I can.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon On a recent radio interview with Pattaya’s 103 station, British ambassador Mark Gooding pinpointed the lack of medical insurance by Brits as his biggest takeaway from his tour of the city. The point has been hammered home for 20 years by the UK government, yet above half of all international visitors (not just Brits) are uninsured according to surveys. It’s human nature, of course, to think “the worse won’t happen to me” but there are many reasons for the reality that Brits alone ran up unpaid hospital bills of 300 million baht (8 million pounds) annually prior to the pandemic. That’s according to a report in The Nation newspaper which referenced only state hospitals and omitted the private sector which rarely offers treatment anyway without a copper-bottom guarantee. The first problem is definitional. Mr Gooding advised all visitors to Thailand to buy “travel insurance”, though he is obviously aware that expats or non-tourists likely won’t be covered if they are not based in the home country of departure. Medical Billing Advocates, an international watchdog leader, state that one in seven of all medical insurance claims are denied or rejected. They point out that the confusion between travel insurance, covering some but not all holiday mishaps, and comprehensive medical cover is a common cause of misunderstanding. Several recent cases of sick Brits appealing for crowd-funded donations to get them back to the UK for an emergency operation have been tourists who had not read the small print in policy documentation. Thai authorities during the pandemic made matters murky by insisting all visitors had medical insurance – it started at US$50,000 but ended up at US$10,000 prior to cancellation – but then stating it could be restricted to Covid only illness. In the ensuing confusion, some international visitors failed to appreciate that a traffic accident was not Covid-related, whilst several companies went bust because of the pressure of coronavirus claims. Whilst there were undoubtedly some good policies out there, the cheapest ones claiming a month’s cover for a few pounds were worthless and designed only to survive the nod-and-a-wink Thailand Pass entry bureaucracy. There were even policies claiming to be comprehensive, but in reality only offering cremation benefit, and even then requiring documentary evidence of being Covid-free on initially entering the country. Then we come to the expats. Many on one year extensions of stay, retirement or marriage, turn to agents for help because they lack cash in the bank or income to cover 800,000 or 400,000 baht respectively. The cash-strapped are unlikely to have the funds for comprehensive hospitalization and will simply hope for the best. It is known that a main reason for self-repatriation is fear of falling seriously ill in Thailand. But the only visas currently requiring medical insurance are one type of retirement visa and extension of stay (O/A) and the yet-to-start 10 year LTR or Long Term Resident Visa. There many alternative options without any insurance requirement at all, including the O retirement option and the Elite visa. The latter is seen by many observers as the safest bet because it guarantees multiple-entry for between five and 20 years. Finally, there are the elderly and the super-aged. Insurance companies prefer customers who won’t make a claim so issues like gerontocracy, pre-existing conditions and high cholesterol in a medical report are distancing strategies like no other. So these expats must either sit tight and hope the grim reaper strikes quickly, or pay through the nose, or self-insure. Interestingly, the Thai Cabinet has now authorized self-insurance as a concept, though how it will be implemented by Thai immigration offices, if at all, is not yet crystal clear. Expat residence in Thailand is never much different. Whilst it is platitudinous to go on repeating “get insurance”, it is equally important to recall the legal concept Caveat Emptor. Buyer Beware! re

Every country has some type of dish that is objectionable to non-natives of the said country. Balut is one of such examples. Although I would never eat it myself, it does not stop me from enjoying other Filipino dishes, such as pancit bihon, lumpiang shanghai, lechon kawali, crispy pata, etc.

Correct, most airlines make more seats available to their own frequent fliers. In some cases, such as Singapore Airlines and Air France, they only make their first class seats available to their own frequent fliers using their own mileage currency (in the case of AF, one must further be an elite member to have the privilege of paying ~200k miles or so for transatlantic F!) I am not sure how the phenomena you described above plays into your situation? Qatar decided to release inventory to partners that was previously unavailable. Usually this "saver level" award inventory is available equally to all airlines in an alliance. Thus for example, if you see a Qatar flight bookable on the Qantas website as an award, you will know that it is also bookable with Asia Miles and if a rep tells you otherwise, you know you are dealing with a dud and need to HUCA (hang up, call again) until you get an agent who knows how to properly search for and book partner awards. Not all carriers release award seats on flights a year in advance. I'm not sure what Qatar's policy is. But many/most airlines release the seats dynamically when their internal revenue control projections tell them the seat would otherwise go unsold (this is certainly how award seat inventory for more close-in flights are managed, regardless of whether they have a policy to release a couple of seats on each flight one year out). If they think they can get a cash paying passenger to buy a business class seat, no way do they want to sell it to Asia Miles/CX for pennies on the dollar (for some interesting insight as to how much airlines in alliances reimburse each other for award seats, see this recent post from OMAAT. The numbers are pretty shockingly low: https://onemileatatime.com/insights/airline-award-ticket-cost/). In your case, likely it's either another award seat passenger canceled/changed their ticket, or their revenue projections changed such that they decided to release a partner award seat. Or it could have been the case that the first agent from Asia Miles you spoke with in your initial attempt to book just didn't know what they are doing, and the seat had been available all along. Which is why it's good to know before you call what the actual award inventory is on the flights you are eyeing by using sources such as ExpertFlyer or other airlines in the same alliance (i.e. searching Qantas awards for travel on Qatar) I'm not sure that this is really a factor at all here. For one, Asia Miles is wholly owned by Cathay Pacific and so their interests are fully aligned. But even in cases where the loyalty program has been wholly severed in ownership (I'm not aware of any examples nowadays since Aeroplan is once again owned by Air Canada), it is still the operating airline that makes the decision to release award inventory to partners or not. The Asia Miles agents have no control over Qatar's award inventory. But you can at least make sure they aren't giving you the run around by independently verifying QR award seats before calling CX

I guess you have to have " interests' or hobbies , or you perhaps you may have a boyfriend or a lot of friends you enjoy being with ? I'm more unfortunately introvert ,I also suffer from depression sometimes . Perhaps if I didn't go there to retire with that mindset of looking only for sex and actually looked for other things in my lifestyle it would be ok, but I didn't those few months, I just sat all day at beer bars

There are many Polynesian folks in the Philippines. A good friend of mine who came from the Philippines at a young age is a big Polynesian guy. Of course there are many people with more Spanish ancestry as well. But for sure American style fast food isn't good for anyone. The proliferation of those restaurants hasn't been good for Thailand either.

My impression after travelling the Philippines last few weeks is they love their fast food chains, everywhere I went in shopping malls etc they were busy lining up for Jollibees fast food & all those American chain restaurants. If that was Thailand it would be the street food they line up for, I found that a bit of a shock compared to Thailand where they love their street food, but maybe I was just in the wrong places/areas in the Philippines. I guess more in the poorer type areas of Manila you would find more street food but the Shopping malls were always crowded ,I couldn't get over how crowded they were along with their fast food restaurants. No wonder there's so many " large size" Filipino around,some looked like Hawaiian/islander look

The airport massage I chose was purely a Thai massage and done behind thin curtains, they have the room at the back for those that choose the oil massage and maybe (just maybe) a happy ending. I don't think there is a choice of who does the massage either as it looks like a rotation with mostly women, it did make the flight home a lot more relaxing too. eXpress Spa Body and Foot Massage, it's showing as temporarily closed on Google.

At @reader's suggestion I joined the Amara Club. The rates in September are about 40% less than August which works well for my September Bangkok visit.

What about those of you with pets? I actually met a farang 76yo up at soi bukhao nice old man said he had 6 dogs !!! Said he couldn't go on trips but he loved his dogs more than anything!

You need somebody to take care of your home back in the U.S., and watch out for any important mails(government correspondence etc). Many entities don't allow using mailbox as your address. I travel overseas no longer than one month at a time.

In Panama, heading to Brazil?

Just mentioning from experience that long flights west are much easier jetlag-wise. And jetlag east to DC from Asia is a serious matter. When I was young it kept me in bed a week (and not the fun way).

I think PeterRS covered it well. I really like Singapore but it is the most humid place I have ever spent time. Great for your skin though! I find the people there to be extremely attractive. It's been a melting pot for a long time so there is a nice mix of people. They're quite body-conscious and the young men are required to do national service so they're pretty fit. From an eye candy perspective it's great. But can be a little frustrating. It's more expensive than other places in SE Asia but I always found plenty to do that wasn't so expensive. For such a developed place there are nice parks. I want to explore more of the island some time as there is a good bit of nature there. The public transport network is quite extensive and ever-growing so it's easy to get around.

Yes. Coming to appreciate and embrace the difference between pleasure and joy has been critical for me. Keep in mind that that if you're at all considering naming a foreign national in your will, the post-death transfer process is more complicated than if you both resided in the same country (at least that's the case in the US and I suspect other countries have their own laws regarding this). The laws of the country where the beneficiary lives also come into play. I've found that not all lawyers are familiar with them and prepared to properly advise you. Finding a lawyer who is could be your first step.

@Rick7235 it really depends on the whole purpose of your trip. Are you here mainly for cheap hookups or for some rest and relaxation? Manila, well Metro Manila for that matter, is actually made up of 16 cities and may take up to an hour (or two if you get stuck in rush hour) to commute between these cities. So I would recommend that you plan your stay based on your goals for the trip. The safest cities to walk alone in as a foreigner would be. 1. BGC (Bonifacio Global City) - Fairly new comercial district, lots of eye candy and expats. Though it may be hard to casually pay for someone at the streets since most of the people are here are yuppies, middle class salarymen, etc. But try your luck on apps such as grindr, planet romeo blued etc. a lot of Filipinos are actually attracted to Farangs, and you might someone for free. But if you really want to get straight guys, still try the app, a lot of MB advertise themselves in this area, though they may usually come at a premium due to this being a CBD (Price range: 3k-10k pesos and hour) * Nectar is located here ( see below for clubs) 2. Makati City- Main business district of the metro, not much of a gay scene, more established than bgc with lots of hot married men, some yuppies, business owners. Main nightlife area is Poblacion, where you can find gay friendly bars and pubs, mainly catering to the young professionals mentioned. Poblacion is also a known red light district but mostly catered for the straights. Once again if you fire your app here you’ll find a lot of men for casual hook up or high end escorts ( 3k-10k pesos per hour, 15k above overnight) 3. Manila City (Malate/Ermita) - if you say Manila most of you may imagine this. Extremely chaotic, often times dirty. I would not recommend you walking alone here, be vigilant and have some common sense. Lots of MB here, some “Macho Dancer” clubs as well. Main red light district of the metro. (3k-4k for 3 hours usually) 4. Quezon City - Largest city in the Metro with some of the most famous “Macho dancer” clubs. Have a look at Adonis, Apollo, Fahrenheit. Or head on to Cubao which may be the area where you may have the most probable chance of soliciting someone from the streets. Gateway mall is a known cruising area. Cubao also has a lot of love motels where you can do your deed. Usual price for a trick is 3k for 3 hours. P.S. I highly discourage picking someone off the streets for your sexcapades, as this for me is too risky. But if that’s what you’re into then please do it with an extra level of precaution ( don’t bring too much cash, don’t bring him to your hotel etc). Try using the apps, or face book (there are a lot of facebook groups offering massages + happy ending) you may first meet them at a public place like a mall or coffee shop to see if they are up to standard before bringing them to your hotel/ love motel. Most would speak some English but don’t expect that they’d be fluent. I’d post some info about the clubs if I have the time. Though some may already cese to operate due to covid.

From Bangkok Post The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Airports of Thailand (AoT) are being told to prepare for a surge of up to 19 million air passengers in the last quarter of this year, Thailand's high tourist season. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, in his capacity as chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission (CAC), said the two agencies have been instructed to prepare for a surge currently being experienced in the United States and Europe after the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions. Peak season is in the fourth quarter when the number of international visitors will rise to up to 19 million, according to a projection by the Bank of Thailand, he said. The number of tourists was projected to slowly grow in the third quarter, a low tourist season, before picking up again and rapidly rising in the fourth quarter, he said, citing forecasts by the two agencies. Thailand should learn from what is happening in the US and Europe to better prepare for a similar situation, he said. Massive flight delays and close to 100,000 flight cancellations have occurred in Europe since April, while at least 20,000 cancellations happened in the US in the past two to three months, he said. To help airlines cope better with the current high costs of operation, the CAC has agreed to extend financial measures for airlines operating flights to and from Thailand for another quarter, he said. Measures include a 50% landing and parking discount for both domestic and international flights and a waiver for airlines suspending their operations, he said.

One of the issues that my generation of Thailand-falangs faces- not youngsters like olddaddy of course- is that now I know that each trip I take may be my last. "Carpe Diem" are the last words I say to myself when climbing into my car for the drive to the airport. It's not just the advent of the Final Curtain, but the increased possibility of ill-health that would make the already arduous journey to BKK beyond my capabilities that haunts me. Then there comes the farewell to P. Will it be the final one? It's not a subject I choose to raise with him directly but the legal and financial implications for him have to be addressed; and he knows that I'm seeing my lawyer about my will when I get home. That embrace as we part company at the airport shortly will be deeply affecting. It always is. So, living each day as if it's your last, something we used to sing, of all places, at Primary School, remains a powerful precept for lovers of Thailand; and even more so for lovers of Thais. i should apologise for adding a melancholic note to an interesting thread but, let's be honest, it has been the elephant in the room, has it not? Or perhaps it's just me.

I rented a whole Riad in Marrakesh with a friend to eliminate the hotel problem.....wasn't cheap years ago. Can't imagine what it would cost today.

I think China has also misplayed the US. Once you publicly threaten Pelosi for making a visit, you vastly increase the odds that she'll make the visit. How do you even benefit from doing that other than playing to a domestic hardline audience? Xi is playing to his own version of congress.

In Taipei I always stay near Da'an Park. It's a small park and ideal for a short morning walk before breakfast. The Dandy Hotel Da'an Park is one of a big chain of hotels but very moderately priced and within meters of the Da'an subway station on the Red Line. Usefully this is the line that takes you to the main hot springs near Shipai station out west. It is also close enough to the very large National Taiwan University campus to be either within walking distance or a short bus ride. There are dozens of great cheap eateries around the Green Line subway stations by the University. And Taipei's main (perhaps only) sex shop is very near one of those Green Line stations! One comment I have heard many times from various guys I have met as well as a former long-term boyfriend is that there is a big lack of available older westerners in Taipei city. No doubt that's why in my view it is one of the easiest cities in the region to hook up with handsome young guys who are not money boys.

From The Tourism Authority of Thailand Bangkok, 28 July, 2022 – Bangkok Airways has announced the resumption of its direct daily flights on the Bangkok-Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Bangkok-Yangon (Myanmar) routes from 1 August, 2022, and the Bangkok-Da Nang (Vietnam) route from 1 September, 2022. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) – Siem Reap route will be operated by an ATR72-600 aircraft. Flight PG905 will depart Bangkok at 10.30 Hrs. and arrive in Siem Reap at 11.45 Hrs, with Flight PG906 departing Siem Reap at 12.15 Hrs. and arriving in Bangkok at 13.55 Hrs. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) – Yangon route will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft. Flight PG703 will leave Bangkok at 16.45 Hrs. and arrive in Yangon at 17.35 Hrs, with Flight PG704 leaving Yangon at 18.20 Hrs, and arriving in Bangkok at 20.20 Hrs. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) – Da Nang route will also be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft. Flight PG947 will depart Bangkok at 10.55 Hrs. and arrive in Da Nang at 12.45 Hrs, with Flight PG948 departing Da Nang at 13.55 Hrs. and arriving in Bangkok at 15.25 Hrs.

I'd give it away to charities while jetting around globe with my posse of hotties. Some people I guess would buy a lot of houses or things, but I'm just not that much into 'stuff'. Though, I would like to stay at a higher class of place than my normal cheap-ass self books!

I just booked some SQ flights for next month from Aus, the price would have cost more for an economy fare than I paid for my business fare in April. I ended up playing around with flights and found that if I stay overnight in Singapore and split the itinerary to multi-trip I save $600+, but I lost one night of an already short trip.

I guess it also depends on how quickly you get through Immigration & Customs. If there is a line of people awaiting processing, perhaps you can walk to the head of the line. If challenged, just say you have “a sauna emergency”. There shouldn’t be any argument but if there is, feel free to add that you are “sexually incontinent” and any delay may cause you to burst open. Good Luck @Canadianbtmguy