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From The Guardian Thailand’s gay-romance TV dramas help revive flagging tourism industry A scene from I Told Sunset About You – one of the ‘boy-love’ series that has attracted a large following across Asia. Photograph: Nadao Bangkok There is a table in Soontaree Thiprat’s Phuket cafe that is always fully booked. Most of her customers at the Dibuk restaurant want to sit in the corner, at the spot with the red tablecloth and purple flower. It is the table where the male student characters Teh and Oh-aew, played by the actors Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul and Krit “PP” Amnuaydechkorn, would sit together and flirt in I Told Sunset About You and its sequel, I Promised You the Moon, a romantic Thai series that has proved hugely popular in its home country and abroad. Devoted fans of the show, who have flocked not only from across Thailand but also from Japan, Korea and Vietnam, pose for photos as they wait to dine in Billkin and PP’s hangout. “They scream so much that I would like to call an ambulance,” said Soontaree. I Told Sunset About You is part of a recent wave of Thai dramas known as “boys’ love” (BL) – also called the “Y” series in Thailand– whose portrayal of gay romance has attracted a large following across Asia. Already, 17 Thai BL series have been released this year, while 43 were released in 2020 and 2021, according to the fan website Blwatcher.com. The romcom drama series 2gether, one of the BL genre’s biggest hits, surpassed 100m views on the streaming platform Line TV just months after its release. As Thailand tries to rebuild its travel industry, the country’s tourism authority has sought to capitalise on their popularity, hosting “Thai BL” booths at a recent marketing event in Osaka, Japan, where the dramas are especially popular, and running a Japanese-language Twitter account profiling locations featured in famous scenes. Private firms have also responded to the trend. Japanese company HIS recently ran online tours of locations used in the filming of 2gether, while some Thai language teachers have also begun offering lessons that specialise in the slang used in BL dramas. Monruethai Harada, a Thai language teacher at Jaya & 3S Groups in Tokyo, said she has seen a 20-30% increase in students wanting to learn Thai after BL dramas became popular in 2020. Most of them are women aged about 30, though one recent student was 75 years old. “She really loves to watch the boys’ love dramas. She said it’s the most exciting and thrilling ever,” said Monruethai. While BL has its roots in Japanese manga comics, Thai production companies have transformed the genre by adapting it for TV and producing a flurry of popular series, said Rujirat Ishikawa, assistant professor at the School of Cultural and Creative Studies, based in Tokyo’s Aoyama Gakuin University. “In the past, I don’t think people believed there was a big market for the boys’ love dramas,” she said. Thai BL dramas first boomed in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. “Because of Covid, [people] had plenty of time,” said Ishikawa. In Japan, similar TV series are usually only accessible to viewers who have a paid subscription but Thai broadcasters are more relaxed about uploading content online, said Ishikawa. “[Audiences] just say: ‘We watch it on YouTube, it’s free, why not?’” Fans often add subtitles in their languages so that others can also enjoy the dramas.“You can see the internet power here and how it spreads,” said Ishikawa, adding that most fans are drawn to the series by the attractive male actors, the often happy story lines and the music. For Thailand’s struggling tourism industry, the popularity of the dramas is welcome news, though commenters point out that the Thai government, despite talk of building the country’s soft power abroad, has struggled to embrace the genre. “Initially, the Thai state appeared to be in an awkward position about the broadcast of Thai BL drama via traditional mediums like free TV channels,” said Poowin Bunyavejchewin, senior researcher at the Institute of East Asian Studies at Thammasat University in Bangkok. “Yet man has to eat. The Thai state needs money. It is as simple as that.” The majority of BL series are shown in Thailand on alternative platforms that link with smartphones, such as Line TV, added Poowin, which “may ease the concerns of Thai conservatives, as sweet erotic love between young men has not been highly visible to them”. Nor has it interfered with the traditional soap operas broadcasting on free TV channels. But some in the LGBT community have mixed feelings about the dramas. BL offers a happier, more positive portrayal of same-sex relationships than elsewhere in Thai media, where gay love tends to end in tragedy, said Kangwan Fongkaew, a lecturer at Burapha University in Chonburi province, who has studied the representation of LGBT communities in Thai media. But while this is in some ways refreshing, BL dramas do not offer true representations of society. They are generally focused on “puppy love” and omit the realities faced by gay men in Thailand, which still does not have basic rights such as equal marriage, said Kangwan. Viewers, added Kangwan, “might misunderstand that Thailand is a gay paradise, which is totally not true”. The leading characters are also predominantly light-skinned, middle class and educated, he said: “The boys’ love series don’t reflect the real diversity of the LGBT community in Thai society, and that’s why the stigma and discrimination against LGBT are still going on right now.” But he also believes the dramas could bring change, especially if their portrayals of same-sex love become more nuanced or political: “I am still hopeful.”

Good question Olddaddy. For me, the choice for Pattaya/Jomtien - was that I did not like the alternative choices - which from my Western point of view were: USA, Italy, and Hungary - where I saw how the non-elderly gay community treated the elderly gay retirees - as if they should just be invisible and to be ignored. I did not want to finish the last chapters of my life in this way - especially when the point arrives in our lives when we will need assisted living care - in some assisted care center where the life there is conservative and to be out and gay is frowned upon. So, it would mean to go back into the closet. No thanks!! Of course, if you are extremely wealthy in the West you can negate most of this by hiring gay staff to give you the illusion of not having to be invisible. Thailand - I saw in the vibrant gay ex-pat retiree communities of Bangkok and Pattaya that it is not necessary to be invisible and ignored. Why? because us elderly retirees are numerous - and we have created our own infrastructure and support systems - where being old, gay, and elderly - with all of our special needs does not need to be looked down upon. In fact, it can be a very positive experience. Here is a proof-in-point story. During my last trip to Thailand, in 2020 - I saw a VERY elderly feeble Western gentleman, who could barely walk, be assisted by two kind Thai guys to help him walk from his apartment in Jomtien to his favorite table at his favorite Jomtien Supertown bar. It made me cry - in happiness - that this gentleman would be taken care of by the kind likes of our Thai guys. In this way, I do not need to DREAD what it would be like to be so old in Thailand - to still have dignity and respect to enjoy our lives right up until the end. For me, Thailand is the pot of gold at the end of our gay rainbow. Lastly, why Pattaya and not Bangkok? My dream has always been to retire at the seaside. Although Pattaya City is situated on the seaside - it is too urban and congested for my tastes. I truly enjoy the Dongtan seaside area - especially the seawalk from Thappraya road all the way north to Phra Tam Nak 5 - that piece of seafront is truly lovely and peaceful for me. I do love the energy of Bangkok - but thinking long-term, I find that Bangkok can be stressful from a moving around point of view - as I like to walk a lot. So, I will probably head over to Bangkok every 4 to 6 weeks for 3 to 4 days to get my high energy fix. So Olddaddy - let me ask you a question. Where on our Planet Earth - do you believe are the best places to retire for us elderly gay guys with our particular needs and care issues ?

But what would we leave behind if we were to locate? I decided back in 2004 when this issue was uppermost in my mind, that frequent visits were the better option for me. And then came Covid.

Yes I agree the west culture is much more open to gays , more gay enentertiment venues.the internet, apps and smartphones made hook up more easily then it used to be before .gay peoples have more opportunities in their home countries nowadays . Thailand is no longer the great escape destination. Many years ago I had the opportunity leaving at Pattaya couple of month every time and it was a gay heaven I had everything I needed there and rarely leaved the city limits nowadays it's still fun but not close compare to the past after a week l find myself bored and prefer traveling more other destinations in Thailand.

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.

Those are some really good points about who the stories focus on, but they're not documentaries, they're soap operas. So they reflect the same sorts of people as most soap operas do. Most of the more mainstream programs also seem to be relatively chaste, frankly. Everyone gets excited if the characters share a kiss. Shows that are more steamy seem to be a little more difficult to come by. I wonder if all of those pretty GMM actors would be up for more sexy scenes? Would all of those female viewers be interested in more erotic scenes? Or is it just us old gays who want that? 🙂 Many of the stories get a little same-y too and we could use some more creativity. I follow a few of those actors on social media. They seem to do quite a few shopping mall appearances and some of them are spokesmodels for various brands. And some fancy themselves as singers. It's very teen idol/Tiger Beat. I guess too much sex might hurt their personal brands.

I just returned from a week in PV and thought I'd do a quick report. Disclaimer - some of you might find it boring. I only had sex once and had one happy ending massage, but I'm providing information on prices, etc, for those considering a trip. As soon as I arrived, I started checking out my options on Grindr. It's pretty obvious who is available for money - disponibile, massage or some variation of that on their profile - often I'd tap a guy and if he responded, we'd start a conversation. Going rate for most guys was 2,000-2,500 MXP, which I thought was a bit steep compared to what I remember pre-Covid. The guys were mostly Colombian/Venezuelan. One local Mexican guy quoted me 800 pesos, which is more what I remember from my last trip. (Exchange rate is about 20 pesos: 1USD) I wasn't in a hurry, so I waited a few days before trying out one cute Colombian guy with years of photos on Instagram. He asked for 2,000 pesos. Sex was ok, and he was a little older than he appeared in his photos, but still hot. I tried Hammam massage as recommended by a few members here. I'd booked a massage for the day after my arrival that included body scrub and Vichy shower. There was no hot water, so I only got a massage (the hot water came back in time for me to shower afterwards). Massage only was 960 pesos. The masseuse directed my hand to his crotch towards the end and let me play with his hard cock, but no happy ending. Looking around for other places for massage, I found a spa called Acqua Spa for men. Years ago I went there when it was a gym. I booked a massage for 1,000 pesos. Absolutely legit, no extra, but very good massage and really nice place. They offer other services such as mani/pedi, facials, etc. I went back on my last day for a facial. 2,000 pesos for anti-aging facial. I know these prices aren't cheap, but they are much less than what I'd pay in the states. I had to check out of my Airbnb at noon, but my flight was late in the day, so I'd arranged another massage at Hammam - what I had originally scheduled - for the afternoon to kill some time before going to the airport. This time there was nothing remotely sexual. I'd decided I wasn't going to try and would just wait to see if he offered. It was fine. Had a body scrub, vichy shower and great massage - a little over 2,000 pesos. So far, pretty boring, right? To be honest, when I got there, I was tired and it was hot, and Grindr wasn't doing it for me. The one guy I hired satisfied me enough that I didn't feel the need to arrange anything else and decided to focus instead on pampering myself with these spa treatments and enjoying the good food rather than spending my money on guys who weren't really appealing to me. However, there was one guy on Grindr who contacted me and offered a massage for 1,000 pesos at his place. He sent photos of his studio, business card and a photo of a nice looking thick cock. He'd contacted me on previous trips and I never went because I was having better luck. This time I decided to give him a try. His name was Freddy. He was older than he appeared on his Grindr profile and his cock did not seem as big as the photo he sent, however, he gave me a great massage. He definitely knew what he was doing and seemed to be working very intuitively, whereas the other guys were more mechanical (but still good) in their approach. He let me suck his cock and brought me to release at the end. I gave him 1,500 and will definitely go back to him, though maybe just for massage. Overall, it was a great trip - I got 4 massages a pedicure and a facial and ate some great food. Didn't play as much with the boys as I have in the past, but they were available if you were willing to work for it (I was not). Happy to answer any questions, especially for first-timers. Ask here or PM me.

Friday I went off to explore a little of Centro, I had never been to Confeitaria Colombo which was on my list of this to do. Friday night was back to 117 with probably one of the best selection of guys during my visits. Big muscle was out tonight if that is what you are into with one massive guy. Plus a great choice of guys from twinks to boy next door types to athletic guys. I had a great repeat session with my super pecs guy to start the evening. My new Californian friend was back and we chatted some more. I missed one handsome black guy I was hoping to meet he was heading out early, so waited to see if there was another guy who might catch my eye. Sure enough a young tall Carioca guy came over and while he was super hung his kissing ability and long sexy legs closed the deal for some time in the cabin and he did not disappoint. Not staying for the show I headed out for dinner at an Italian restaurant near to where I was staying.

Olddaddy asks what i would leave behind, well... yes, the NHS was the factor for an ageing diabetic. Particularly when I saw what happened to an American expat friend whose insurance ran -out as he lay in hospital with cancer. Family and friends, yes....though sadly, not really true seventeen years later. But classical music, Chelsea FC (live, not on TV!)and my political activities would all have been deeply missed. And the changing of the seasons- the advent of autumn and of spring in particular. The winter, since you may ask, is ideally spent as much as possible here in Thailand!

I guess you would leave behind family,friends? Maybe medical services you don't have to pay for . I just can't see the same level of gay farangs living in Pattaya say in 10 years like there is now,and even now many of the older ones have left and are slowly leaving. I'm not sure how the gay beer bars are surviving,I guess to many owners it's just a hobby.

With younger gay tourists seemingly wealthier and travel hopefully soon to become less expensive, I'm rather surprised that there seem to be no tour companies around organising gay tours to several countries on one trip. Many will recall the Utopia Tours company which was based in the Tarntawan hotel lobby. It did organise multi-country tours. Sadly it became the subject of a scandalous court case (the scandal surrounded the judge!) and later shut up shop. I believe it was reincarnated as Purple Dragon Tours. But even that no longer exists. Anyone wanting to know more about that case can check here - https://web.archive.org/web/20050606015724/http:/www.yawningbread.org/arch_2005/yax-435.htm I know that Siam Roads provides excellent guides around the region. But it does not include Malaysia, Hong Kong or Taiwan nor make transport and hotel arrangements. Once the covid entry restrictions in all countries are removed, I expect the gay scenes in these cities to be fully open to tourists again. Perhaps the new breed of sex-related tourist might wish to include at least 2 if not 3 destination countries rather than always sticking with Bangkok and Pattaya.

Stayed in Amara many times and absolutely no problem with bringing someone back with you. Neither did I have any problem at Raya. You don't have to check in with reception at either location. I found rooms at both hotels comfortable but, as Jimmy Joe pointed out, Amara is much newer property. Rooms and very well appointed and very well maintained. Amara has very good restaurant.

For me, the Raya is so close distance to the boy bars, nice bathroom set up, comfortable bed, decent room size and total privacy because you could bypass the reception when you take boys to your room. Deluxe room is one step up, not the lowest room type at Raya. However, everything else is normal and nothing to do in the building. Amara is about 8 minutes walk to boy bars (google map) which is fine because I love to walk (jogging) and see people or business on the way. They also seem to be ok with joiner but you may have your boy to check in with the reception so it could be a minus (i am a shy type of guy) or plus (added security for my safety). Deluxe room is the cheapest room at Amara and I don't know how big or how comfortable the room is at Amara compared to The Raya. Maybe somebody who has stayed in both hotels will chime in to let us know. The big plus for Amara is the infinity rooftop pool which I read several compliments in online reviews. What else am I missing?

Would be quite interesting to see just how many gay farangs are nstill retiring to Thailand particularly Pattaya The current 50yo to 65yo age gay farang group is very different to the generation of 25 years ago. More wealthier,more knowledgeable, far more different,I don't think as "settled", I can't see the new generation of gay retirees doing what the past generation did Do any of you agree with that?

Depends on your plans. Raja has the advantage you can take boys without passing front of reception but I really enjoyed Amara small but great-view rooftop pool and the breakfast was really good (not sure if they have it now). Well, this is what I did: took my bf to Amara and used Raja when offing bar boys.

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 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.

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.

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?

I just saw another post where the poster was saying he was retiring to Pattaya in September. Now this question has been thrown around the gay forums for years and of course many of the original farang expats are no longer with us. The "latest" gay farangs of course to retire will be more wealthier however is it just me but I have noticed my last few months there is far far less gay farangs retiring to pattaya,no idea about Bangkok but far less gay resident expats in my opinion So this is my update, I just spent several months in Thailand, particularly in Pattaya to see if I still had that "urge" to settle down there forever like I used to want to when I worked hard and all the overtime I could to save enough money for that "exciting retirement" Fast forward 25 years and sadly it seems going by my last few months in Pattaya I no longer have that urge or excitement to retire here in Pattayail,I'm not ruling out other parts just Pattaya now doesn't do it for me Its a combination of things, unfortunately I tend to reminisce over old times and what Pattaya used to be like, walking thru the old Sunee recently I had memories after looking at the old Top man go go ,the exciting & busy times there etc, Michael who used to own it,memories bar ,the old farang expats who used to talk chat laugh with The boys who were more Boyfriend material entertainment,rather than the business like boys nowadays. It's no longer like that,well to me anyway,yes I know times change 25 years on and now near retirement I cannot see any reason to retire there,the boys are drying up and more than ever " businesslike" with one even sending me a written quote for his services on grinder and times of service etc. The beer bars I can no longer relate to,I find a few farang owned great where you can communicate with other farangs but most seem Thai owned and uninteresting . Unfortunately I suffer with "it's not like it used to be" syndrome. I find most things in the supermarket etc just as expensive if not more expensive than my own country eg cheese& coffee. But what confirmed it was talking a gay farang in a beer bar who had been here 2 years who was "lonely".He was thinking of going back to the UK as he had his daughter there. He spent his days living in a jomtien condo near the complex and was ,in his words,"bored" He had no friends it seems or should I say "real friends" just seemed to be the other gay farangs attending daily the beer bars he would say hello to.On asking if he had a BF he said no you cannot find a real BF here and I believe he is right. Talking to him gave me that extra thought that it's too early yet and with risk to retire there without having any "support'. Support meaning someone who is a genuine friend, someone who notices you not around etc ,support when you get sick I imagined what my scenario could be 62yo ,then retire to pattaya,I'm still gym fit & relatively healthy. So I would rent a condo probably near jomtien complex and spend my days doing what? Maybe going to gym like I did, massages etc but the days start to get boring, missing family back home, etc Visiting bars? Hiring the services of male prostitutes who want to go as quick as possible,then what? That got bored for me. Watch tv ? I would be bored too and very lonely . Obviously age makes a difference too,if I was 75 instead of 62,it may be more inclination to retire to pattaya but once again where do you get that support if you need it in sickness etc What some guys cannot fathom is you will no longer be a guy on a 2 week holiday chasing arse or dick, you will be living there and you will grow tired of it . You will find the boys working will become disinterested in you as you no longer use their services as much as a 2 week millionaire and they stop contacting you on Grindr etc You will sit most nights in your condo watching tv bored shitless, you will go out during some days to beer bars just to talk to someone. You will be alone the majority of your time unless you hire the services of company who want to most times leave asap anyway I can't do it at this stage of my life ,I prefer to continue working and travel each year . One thing that could change that though is if I had a very genuine Thai boyfriend and I don't mean a paid boyfriend who works in a bar I mean a real lover , someone you can move there for and live with . But at this stage guys I would say be very hesitant to jump into something such as retirement to Pattaya and finding out your more lonely than ever! Suffering depression being away from family,living by yourself in a high rise condo would be no fun with no network support wouldn't be fun, and to be brutally honest with you I have heard there have been far more negative stories of farangs retiring to pattaya particularly gay farangs than positive,that's why you see so many going back after trialling it for a few months It wasn't what they imagined, I doubt any like me on here will admit that though,that they didn't like it here full time , I do,I couldn't cut it guys,living in that jomtien condo everyday ,not at this stage of my life, it got boring,I got lonely ,I felt like I had no support,I wanted love after a while, someone to care for and he cared by, the moneyboys,that's what they call themselves nowadays, weren't people I could relate to,times change I guess ,but maybe some day I can get my spark back when Pattaya comes back I guess but not this time, I'm going back home

From Bangkok Post Hope is being regained that Thai tourism can attract 1 million Russian tourists this year as Aeroflot will resume direct flights to Phuket this winter after a pause of several months due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict. As of July 26, the number of Russian visitors to Thailand stood at 76,739. Most entered the country during the first quarter before Russia's invasion of Ukraine escalated, which prompted the European Union (EU) to impose aviation sanctions against Russia. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said Aeroflot has confirmed the resumption of the Moscow to Phuket service in the winter schedule, starting from Oct 30 with a daily service. "In discussions with tour operators focusing on this market, they are confident about demand to Thailand. The only problem is the lack of connectivity. If Aeroflot can resume direct services as planned, while more airlines could follow in the next few months, we can still anticipate an influx of tourists in the final quarter," said Mr Yuthasak. He said many airlines from Thailand, such as Thai Airways and Thai AirAsia X, were interested in operating this route to replace Russian carriers, but due to sanctions from European countries, technical assistance such as maintenance and shipments of spare parts were also banned over the past few months, as well as insurance that would not provide coverage in such circumstances. However, the EU on July 27 announced an exemption for the sharing of technical information in the framework of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which includes any technical support related to repairs, development, manufacture, assembly, testing, maintenance, or any other technical services. Mr Yuthasak said it has to clarify with related authorities again how this revised sanction from the EU could make any changes to the current aviation situation regarding Russia.

The Thai version of viagra is sidegra was available at the pharmacy you ask about as well a most of the other pharmacies in the neighborhood, no prescription required. Cialis is similar is viagra so I suspect other pharmacies along Surawong will be available to assist. Sidegra comes in a tablet and a gel, one frequent correspondent on this board prefers the gel as he believes it is quicker acting.

I miss the old Hero massage... Miss all those handsome fit boys .. So many to choose from .... Those were the days

Cheapest rooms are of the same size in both but for a few dollars more one can have Grand Deluxe in Raya which us spacious indeed. Raya is bit closer to BTS and shopping. Amara looks and feels more upscale. For the same price I'd split my time between both otherwise cheaper option were my choice

I doubt anyone cares what they think, this is major-power war gaming. They're pawns.

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 try to pass along info I come across during my stays but I defer to both Divine Madman and Toyally Oz as they are long-time residents of this great town and have a keen eye for quality and recent developments in that industry we all love. For sheer volume in this area, Vinapu may well hold the indoor record on a time/experience ratio.

On massages, check recommendations from @reader who is just back and is a massage connoisseur ranking with @DivineMadman and @TotallyOz

I think you are pretty near correct - although I would question the adjective 'massive' and the noun 'regime'. I would prefer 'major' and 'admiration for the achievements of the PRC'. And my own personal journey as it relates to China is a large part of the reason. The fact is that many who have theories about China hardly know China or people who live in China. Their views are understandably shaped by what they read in the media and see on television. Perhaps they find a non-democratic form of government anathema. Perhaps the horrors of Stallinist Russia resulted in many to assume that communism equalled a form of massive internal genocide. And then they read about Mao's actions in the 1950s, '60s and early '70s and were convinced. So, I completely understand. What most people never seem to consider is the historical context going back at least two centuries and why China is both where it is and how it is run. They seem to assume that the 'century of humiliation' during the 19th century when China was virtually raped by many western powers and Japan was just an historical fact. And as with much history the Chinese should just put it behind them as they move on. That is hardly possible. Just as the Chinese plan far more into the future than other countries, so they have long memories. They do not forget. Admittedly by the start of the 19th century Imperial China was finally rotting from within. It was unable to stop the British traders from forcing it to accept opium instead of payments in silver, an act which condemned millions of Chinese to a dreadful death but one which had found favour in the government in London. It was unable to stop the missionairies who followed in the wake of the traders who, as they did almost everywhere, attemped to persuade tens of millions that their ancient historical and cultural beliefs were sinful and to follow Christ instead. That bred the 14-year Taiping Rebellion in which at least 20 Chinese million were killed. This was led by a Chinese who persuaded his followers that he was the brother of Jesus, a name all but unknown to almost all Chinese until the missionaries landed. Those who condemn China today conveniently tend to forget what the western powers did in those decades was the adoption of practices which in themselves should be more than roundly condemned in international courts. The rise of European and American settlements in which those nations' laws were followed instead of Chinese law resulted in what even today are called the Unequal Treaties. A weakened China simply did not have the internal administrative structure nor military power to resist. Chinese leadership in recent decades has several immutable aims - one being that China will never ever again allow itself to become as weak as it was in the early 1800s. If there was one act that so angered the ordinary Chinese that it remains an unresolved stain even today, it was the act of colonial powers towards the end of the Opium Wars. British and French troops were sent to Beijing to force the Emperor and his Court to open up more of the country to trade. When they failed, they went on what can only be termed a criminal rampage. Outside Beijing, they looted and destroyed one of the world's great series of cultural buildings, the Summer Palace. Today this has the same historical relevancy to all the peoples of China as the Crusades did in Arab eyes almost a millennium earlier. It will never be forgotten or forgiven. I'll skip over the fall of the Q'ing Dynasty, the birth of modern China and then its internal turmoil as warlords and criminal gangs fought to control the country. But it is important to remember that in Asia China had been on the side of the allies in World War 1 and had even sent 150,000 labourers to Europe who were then treated abysmally and of whom a huge number lie in simple graves in northern France. In most cases their families had no idea what happened to them. At the Treaty of Versailles, the Chinese diplomats assumed they would be given some concessions, especially in getting rid of at least the German foreign settlements on its coast. They were humiliated when the alies gave the settlements to Japan. They came away with absolutely nothing. Follow that with the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and the dreadful trail of death and destruction as they made their way down the coast and ended with the Rape and destruciton of Nanjing, the capital of Nationalist China - one of the most horrific acts in history with up to 300,000 citizens raped, beheaded and otherwise slaughtered by a seemingly mad Japanese military. After all these and many more events, what China and the Chinese desperately wanted was one thing - stabiliity. Mao seemed to offer that which is why he was so warmly welcomed. Little did the people of the country know that Mao's mad campaigns over the next 25 years would result in the deaths from hunger and murder of almost certainly at least 50 million, if not more. After that preamble, I found myself in Hong Kong at the start of 1979, just as the Cultural Revlution was finally over and Deng Xiao-ping restored to power. Deng was clearly a great pragmatist. He knew China needed to change its philosophy and that much of the economy, especially in the communes in the countryside, had to be set free. That needed cash. And so he first tapped the Chinese diaspora with great success. The first Special Economic zone was a fishing village across the creek from Hong Kong. Shenzen then had around 25,000 inhabitants. Now it is an economic powerhouse with a poulation in excess of 12.5 million. After my first year I took the daily tourist train across the border to Guangzhou. I saw the farming communes. I saw how poor the people were. I saw a slowly developing Guangzhou where I was a guest of the new US Consul there, Dick Williams. The Consulate was on the top floor of one of the few better hotels in the city. One morning, we went to walk by the river to see where the western powers had had their 'factories' for trade and which had been the origin of the Opium Wars. I saw almost every man wearing a loose grey Mao-style light suit and only a few of the ladies wearing anything but grey. It was like going back in time 100 years! Since that first visit, I have been in China well over 100 times. I have friends in several cities. I happened to be in Beijing for meetings with clients in May 1989 as Tiananmen Square was filling up. I was back in late July the same year to meet the same clients. All were totally shocked at what had happened and told me that the government had lost Beijing. But such feelings eventually were put to the back of minds as incomes rose at such a rate with Deng's reforms pulled well over 400 million out of poverty, the largest number in the shortest time in history. As incomes rose, I noticed what I can only describe as a vast increase in personal freedoms. In early 1997 I was in the city for a 3-week project. I stayed at the Beijing Hilton in the city's north east, one of many western chain hotels that had opened. In the eveing I often walked about half a mile to the Sanlitun area north of the Embassy district. Here about 3 dozen private cafes, bars and small restaurants had opened. At one I visited several times, I chatted a lot to a very cute waiter who was studying at one of the universities during the day. His English was virtually fluent. He made one point that stuck with me. He said all his colleagues admired the USA and more than a few hoped that perhaps they might have the chance of studying there. He then added "but some cannot understand why so many in the US government hate China so much!" Like those reading about China in other parts of the world, that view was largely based on what they were reading and being told. But my student friend and many of his friends realised that they did not trust the government's official media. They made up their own minds. Long before then, China realised it had to make friends in the west which in turn opened the doors to a vast new source of investment to further fuel the country's development. Perhaps the hardliners of whom there remain even today quite a number in the top leadership failed to realilse that this would open the country's internal affairs to greater worldwide scrutiny. But nowhere today is that leadership more unified than regarding the country's borders. Anyone who fails to understand this need only look back to 1969 and the 7-month border war with the Soviet Union. The Soviets were seriously considering the use of nuclear weapons but held back. Earlier there had been the 1962 border war with India. The Chinese actions in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang, however much the world condemns them - as indeed do I, are totally rooted in border control issues. Similarly with Taiwan, although as i have stated in an earlier post, I believe international law and wartime Agreements make it more than clear that the ultimate authority in Taiwan has to be Beijing. I fully accept that two blacks do not make anything other than two blacks. But it is easy to condemn China when we assume that ordinary Chinese are not able to think for themselves and what they really want is a different form of government. I consider these wrong assumptions. Equally, I think we have a tendency to forget the failings in our own systems of government. I wonder what the Chinese people think of a government which permits its citizens to own more guns that there are citizens, for example? Or where 41.5 million of the population exist as a result of food stamps. Or where so many in so many democratic countries now realise there are in fact major failings in the democratic systems these countries have adopted. I loathed Li Peng and his fellow hardliners in Beijing who undercut Deng and his reformers and directly led to the events of early June 1989. Many assumed Xi Jinping would be a reformer, given that his father, Xi Zhongxun, a companion of Mao on the Long March, and later a Vice Premier was very much a liberal reformer in the government who enjoyed a close, friendly relationship with the Dalai Lama. The elder Xi had championed the rights of the Tibetans, Uighurs and other ethnic minorities. Many felt his son would pursue similarly liberal policies - but only once he was totally assured of this own power base. From the purges near the start of his reign, it is clear that Xi had more enemies than the pundits thought. Will he change if he gets his new term at the next National People's Congress. Somehow I doubt it.

Could Sexy_Phil (Hendric Bjorn from Bel Ami) from Czech be in Zurich? I know he usually works there for the agent but I know the agent also runs come-on ads (for very good guys). The photos in this ad are different people but maybe Fillip wants to avoid certain people or something. IDK. I guess I could social media him but I hate to. We've only dated 3 or 4 times but he's in the group I see constantly (there's issues between him and Pavel). The ad reviews mention Dominick as a friend from 2019 when they were both working there. I'm concerned it's an old Sexy_Phil ad of the agents' where he's trying to be vague about the guy he sends. (blond, slender, abs). https://www.romeo.com/hunq/HornyBoy020 Here's a couple pics I took of him and a modeling one and a Hunqz one. Sweet guy (and expert pianist)

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.

Admittedly Pelosi was more careless than she should have been regarding the possible consequences for the press team on that occasion. However, I think if I was a US citizen in 1991 and if I was looking at my Congress representatives, I would be far more embarrassed about the fact that the rest of them went to Beijing in 1991, just two years after the PRC government had massacred thousands of protesters in Tiananmen Square, and had NOT made some form of protest. And as regards the title of this thread, I think if you look at the grand arc of her career on China policy, Pelosi has been much more correct in her analysis than say, Bush or Clinton, who as you point out she so annoyed. Back in the 1990s, when China was somewhat isolated, and Clinton’s administration were in favour of allowing them to join the WTO and to bring it into international organisations, it was on the basis that it was as China got richer it would then become more democratic. Around that time there was discussion of China hosting the Olympics, and the "China Dove" side (who were dominant in both Clinton and Bush Jr's State Department) argued that it would be a good thing as China would have to open up a bit when hosting the Olympics. Tibet was the region most in the news at the time, and the argument was, "well China won’t want to be embarrassed by being oppressive to the Tibetans during the Olympics, it will surely ease up." Didn't happen. In general, Clinton and the other China doves were certain that, as China got more more integrated into the international community, it’s authoritarian nature would slowly decrease (a bit like what happened in South Korea and Taiwan between around 1970 and 1990). It was a genuine debate at the time, where Pelosi was obviously on the opposite side to Clinton and Bush. However I think history is showing that Pelosi was in the right side of the argument. If you had said to a China "dove" in 2001 that by 2022 China would have an economy as large and integrated into the international markets as it is now, and yet people are still debating not if, but when, it would invade Taiwan, they would be shocked. I think some of the criticism Peter has made of Pelosi on this thread may well have merit (if Biden is saying that the military do not want Pelosi to visit Taiwan, it is concerning). However, in general, Peter, would you not agree that Pelosi has been proved to have been LESS wrong on China than the State Department "China Dove" consensus of 1990s and early Naughties?

I'm not sure I heard right but I had a aussie expat farang a few weeks ago in Pattaya telling me was paying 15,000 baht a month? Maybe I heard wrong,it was either 15k a month or 150k a year ,now if your on a limited income eg Aged pension then it's a bit difficult to afford that . As for travel insurance I have no sympathy for those who travel overseas for a few weeks and fail to take it out!

From Coconuts Bangkok Reenter the cave again and again with two more rescue saga adaptations A promotional still for ‘Thai Cave Rescue’. Photo: Netflix The Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives premieres today – but not in Thailand – two days after Netflix pinned a September release date on Thai Cave Rescue, a six-episode limited series about the 2018 ordeal to free the boys and their coach from a flooded cave in northernmost Thailand. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen (Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya (Bad Genius, One For the Road), the Netflix dramatization will portray the incident with more emotional heft, focusing on the points of view of the 12 boys and their coach, as well as the volunteers. When it was first announced in 2019, Crazy Rich Asians director John M. Chu’s name was attached to it. Billed as “the most authentic and expansive retelling yet,” it was filmed in Thailand and is the only project officially sanctioned by the government agency established to control access to those involved. Scenes were shot at the boys’ homes as well as the cave site. It will feature a mostly Thai cast led by Papangkorn “Beam” Lerkchaleampote as football coach Eak, and Thaneth “Ek” Warakulnukroh as Chiang Rai Gov. Narongsak Osottanakorn. It stars Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund and Manatsanun “Donut” Phanlerdwongsakul as Kelly and Pim, who represent real-world hydraulic engineers and park rangers. That it won government support suggests that audiences should expect a noncritical examination of events, given the complaints from Narongsak and other officials over the depiction in the first cinematic treatment of the crisis, 2019’s The Cave. Thirteen Lives, on the other hand, was filmed in Australia, and therefore avoided any creative conflict with the government-created 13 Tham Luang Co. Ltd. The film’s star-studded cast includes Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman. Mortensen, Farrell, and Edgerton play cave divers Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, and Richard Harris, respectively. Thirteen Lives will be released Aug. 5 on Amazon Prime, the same day as The Cave is released after a three-year pandemic delay in North America by Lionsgate as Cave Rescue. Thai Cave Rescue premieres Sept. 22 on Netflix. In late June, the boys visited Tham Luang to make alms and pay respects to their rescuers on the fourth-anniversary of their world-gripping ordeal.

Filipino food such as Balut? I found Filipinos seem to love their American fast food more than anything,that's my impression anyway I was in the Philippines last night at the airport and saw some stunners, dark skin ,tight butt cheeks and strong build guys😘 I would like to check out farang expat places like Dumamagette & Palawan, I wasn't keen on Manila 😞 Philippines is cheaper than Thailand in many aspects ( not for hotels in Manila though😅 I guess if I had a real lover I could live in the Philippines anywhere ,but like Gaybutton says, just don't take into account the sex . I think close proximity to hospitals,safety ,gym , recreation facilities etc are high priority when deciding where to retire

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/

That's food for thought, you are entirely right, I haven't thought of it that way.

I don't have family members or any significant others to worry about. I don't want to leave any money to anyone. So I just need to figure out a way to time my death and money spending.

@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.

I was waiting for the part where you ended up in a 3-way (or more) with other guys from the gym.....🤨

Day 4-6: Fighting for a new life Today is a new day, and for Tiago, today is the start of a new life. His main reason to be in Thailand is to stay for at least 6 months to get training in Muay Thai, as he had in Jiu Jitsu in Brazil, and economic realities meant that doing this in Thailand is way cheaper than in Brazil. It will also enabled him to get into the Asian fighting circuit that have boasted any number of Brazilians looking for easy money doing what they love to do. Having gotten to know him for a better part of a year, first in Brazil, then having him tag along in my travels, I am confident that he has the drive, and the skills necessary, to be a success. Probably not to the top of his sport, but enough to gain the necessary experience to further a career in this realm, to either teach the sport in western countries, or mount a school and/or gym himself in his home country, among other possibilities. He is certainly making the most of whatever physical gifts he has, and taking advantage of his youth and energy, to get to the next level. I’ve often wondered how boys get into prostitution. It takes a certain intestinal fortitude to withstand the day to day demands to survive the mental and physical toll that is inherent in the profession. One Brazilian boy I’ve known describes it as a constant series of humiliations, being objectified, poked and prodded, facing constant rejection, doing constant negotiating, a lot of chasing, all for the money he will need to pay his bills. He still sticks to it, because it is lucrative, and since he has not gone to school, and doesn’t have any traditionally marketable skills, this is his greatest chance to get the most money that he needs. He knows that he won’t be young forever, so why not strike while the iron is hot? Having a fat 9-inch penis doesn’t hurt either. Tiago has told me that the rigors of sauna and bar boy life aren’t for him. He is not above selling his body for money, he says, and admits he has entertained the random offers he has gotten when he is, for example, on a Brazilian beach or at a club. But he has a more stable family life and has gotten some support from his parents whenever he needed to get bailed out from a missed rent check or to refill his kitchen pantry. And he prefers using his body for fighting, a love of his that he has cultivated since he was a teen. After getting good at Jiu Jitsu back home, he has set his sights on Thailand where he wants to spread his wings. --- We wake up at 6 AM, to catch a 9:00 AM flight to another Thai city, where Tiago’s MMA gym is. We plan on spending 3 days there, to work out his living arrangements and secure his place in the classes that he wants to take, as well as to make sure that he has face-to-face interactions with the staff of the gym to make a determination that this was really where he wants to end up. Before this, all his conversations with the gym people have been virtual, with many video conference calls to the Brazilian part-owner and some of the Brazilian fighters on staff. Nothing beats in-the-flesh interactions, and he has asked me to form my own opinions of what I will see, to help him decide if this is indeed a good decision for him to take. I get us a Grab Taxi to the airport, which amounted to 427 baht, since I always ask the driver to take highways, and the driver was able to add the 75 baht tolls to the fare: The plane ride over was fairly quick and efficient. We then took a taxi to our hotel. I splurged a little bit on a resort hotel to at least get some pampering in, while taking advantage of the resort’s many pools, great restaurants, and other cool amenities. After a quick lunch, we quickly head over to the MMA Gym, to get it out of the way. Tiago wanted to spend the whole day tomorrow to just veg out in the resort with me, before we head back to Bangkok on the third day. Any doubts Tiago had over the gym quickly melted away when we stepped out of our taxi into the gym complex. Most of the workout facilities were outdoors, and with Thailand’s sweltering heat that might not be ideal, but we see a fair number of people working out sparring with each other and with punching bags which were a-plenty. There were two practice boxing rings that I saw, and a courtyard that had people milling about. Tiago’s eyes lit up. He was impressed. We were met with a Thai employee. He spoke to us in English, and as before I explained to him that Tiago didn’t speak English well. We were lead to where the living quarters would be, and we found some Brazilians who were living at the gym. Most of them then joined us and the Thai guy to take a tour of the place. There was a stage area, where the public fights happen, we were shown some of the living quarters – kitchen, bathrooms, and the room where Tiago would be staying at. It was a modest room, a bed, a fan, some shelving, closet space. We were told there was wifi all thoughout. Tiago told me this was more than enough for him. The room afforded him privacy, and a comfortable place to rest, which is all he needs. We then met up with the Brazilian part owner. He rolled up on his motorcycle, wearing Muay Thai shorts and nothing else but his flip flops. A fighter himself, he was 35, and still very much in fighting shape not to mention fairly handsome. A typical rugged Brazilian. After some introductions, he then takes us to his office to talk business. Tiago wanted me there with him to help with the decisions. The owner was impressed that I can speak Portuguese, and made the remark that when he first got to Thailand, he spoke no English, but learned through living here many years. Tiago then commented that he hopes that will be the case for him too. I mention my journey to Portuguese, and told them all the classes in the world were no match for actual immersion and speaking it with native people. The owner spelled out how things worked in the gym, the daily routine, how much the classes were, the accommodations, the food. The owner will be able to give Tiago a discount if he helped out with setting up the gym first thing in the morning, and cleaning up at night, since he was short-staffed. He then tells Tiago on how he can earn money with helping to teach MMA to western farangs who come to the gym to learn as well. He says that with Thailand reopening, he has seen student numbers tick up again, and is expecting to be really busy going into the high season. Also, there will be some opportunities to fight locally, in Bangkok, and overseas in Cambodia, South Korea, and other nearby countries is also a possibility, to earn some extra pocket money. This all sounded good to Tiago, and to me as well. After this we were shown some gyms with weights and cardio machines that Tiago can join to maintain muscle, and to a local fighting gear store where he can get his boxing gloves, tape and others things. The owner commented that it was more expensive to buy it here than in Bangkok, and recommends that if we were heading back to the capital that Tiago do his shopping there. We then sit down for some coffee (at the air conditioned gym thankfully) and just shared stories about Brazil and Thailand. The owner is very charming, and seems to be a really awesome guy, and he shared his take on how it was to live in Thailand as a Brazilian. As Tiago and I went back to the hotel after all this, we had a long conversation about all the information that was presented to us. Both of us had a good feeling about it. Tiago’s brain was already swimming with all the things he intended to get accomplished here. Once we step of the taxi at the hotel, Tiago holds my hand as we walk back to our room, and once we were in the room he hugs me, telling me that he is grateful for this opportunity, and it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t buy his plane tickets. I told him that it was his vision that got him here. I only greased the wheels. Plane tickets for Tiago: $453 one-way from Sao Paulo to Doha, 10k + 40k Avios points from Doha to Dubai to Bangkok. Gratitude that Tiago has shown me: Priceless We actually went back to the MMA gym later that day, because there was a public fight scheduled that featured 5 fights. I got to talk to the other Brazilians as well. Thank goodness for hot Thailand weather. All the fighters were shirtless, and I’ve lost count of the abs that I’ve seen total. The fights were well attended, with some farangs sprinkled in a mostly Thai audience. They sold some food and liquor during the fights, which I bet is a money maker for the owners. As promised by Tiago, we spent the next day just vegging out. The pool, strolls around the resort complex, pool, sex in the hotel room balcony, pool, hit the buffet and the pool bar, and then a nice dinner in one of the resort restaurants. Even if there was a whole city outside this resort, I picked it to take advantage of the amenities, and also to take a break from all the running around we’ve been doing this past 3 weeks. The next day, recharged because of the relaxing day before, and renewed because of the knowledge that Tiago will be in good hands once I leave him to his own devices next week, we were in good spirits. Tiago left his big luggage behind at the gym since he was coming back, and left with just the necessities for the rest of my stay with him in Bangkok. We consolidated all of our things into my big luggage including some in my carry-on, and then checked my big luggage at the airport for our flight to Bangkok. That was a mistake, as I left something in the checked bag that almost ruined my night. That’s next post.

What you say may be true but I think it is being unnecessarily rude to the person who made the inquiry.

A few minutes before 10pm when I walked in, Dream Boy had about 30 patrons, making it 75 percent full. Nonetheless, a good seat had opened up and I was shown to it. Two things struck me immediately, though I had been pre-warned by other members here. (1) The boys, while shirtless, were in jeans. (2) The music was loud. The waiter was helpful in explaining the charges without my having to ask. That's good; it suggests a degree of staff training. My drink would be 450 baht, a boy drink would be 400 baht, the off fee would be 500 baht and the recommended tip for short-time was 2,000 baht. I would later ascertain from the chosen boy that his share of the boy drink was 100 baht. There were about 25-30 boys divided into three rotating groups, with an average age over thirty. Some had maintained their form, but not a few were losing the battle with either Covid or the passing years. In the thirty minutes watching the rotation, I could only shortlist four guys whom I might take. For someone like me who is not especially picky and who has a rather broad acceptance range for body types in my partners (also known as "slut"), four out of nearly 30 is a poor ratio. Visits to other bars in the subsequent evenings would confirm that Dream Boys has an aging problem compared to the others. I have no problem with taking a boy over 30, and in my experience, they can be better in bed, being more experienced in the arts of pleasure, but it would be nice if they were in reasonable shape. Watching the scene before the show, a few more things struck me: (3) with years, the boys seemed also to acquire more tattoos. There was one chap with full-body Yakuza-like work. No doubt, an ink aficionado might appreciate the skill and artistry there, but I find large tattoos way too distracting in bed. (4) about all the waiters must have been at least fifty. Perhaps one or two could have been sixty. The show began almost promptly at 10:30pm, by which time the bar was nearly full (about 40 -45 patrons). It had eight "acts". Four were performed by lip-sync cross-dressers, and four by the boys themselves. The music got even louder! The first of the boys' acts had three coyotes, one of which was among my shortlisted four. He turned out to be the best dancer of the lot which was more than enough reason for me to tuck 100 baht into his briefs. He was cheeky. He pulled the briefs open (forward, not down) and guided my hand deep into it till I was able to wrap the red note around his cock. At that moment, I kind of decided that I would off him later, but after the dance item, I saw him go straight to sit with another customer. I was too late! The second of the boys' acts had three guys in briefs, and soon enough, their joeys (baby kangaroos) were poking their little heads out above mamas' pouches. The last of the four boys' acts was a copulation show. I off'd one of the four from my shortlist, but it didn't turn out well. Back in the room, he was in a rush throughout, saying "we cum together" barely five minutes into playtime. All in all, I think he spent less than 40 minutes with me. He's best forgotten, so the less said here, the better.

10000 USD saved, that 66 if not more offs of most pricey Moonlight, Jupiter or Tawan boys and none of them would tell you 2 hours max