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Hey guys, I recently came back from a 12 day BKK-SAMUI family trip. Since the vast majority of my trip was child related activities, I'll spare you the report. In BKK I had the opportunity to go 3 times to massage places. Since I had zero place for spontaneity I pre booked them online. I Lined with all the recommended massage places and found my types (Asian Muscle) in 2 places: Jay Spa & S'sense Suan Plu. S'sense – I first booked Singha. 90m massage was heaven with him. When I wanted to book him again he was unavailable so I booked Knott – and it was just as satisfying. Great men & great place. 1150 THB for the house and minimum 800 THB for the guy (I gave them both double than that). Jay – I booked Phong - 2000 THB minimum tip as Jay Spa wrote me. He is built perfectly in my opinion. But I wouldn't call that a massage nor did he succeed on bottoming as he said. It was all and all OK but I would not repeat. My husband picked a stunner there for a minimum tip of 3K. Guy's name was Veel and my husband was satisfied. That’s about it. Was unable to fulfil all the usual stuff I get to do in BKK. But in just one more month I will get my compensation as my husband gave me his blessing for a 2 week Rio & Sao Paulo solo trip. Cheers!

while I agree with your sentiment I'd not advocate spending everything as soon as we can. If you are getting on with years you may need money for nurse to hose you down , even with cold water , at least once a week . Every Saturday morning I do community service in form of going to laundry room on my floor and securing door so they won't close. One of my neighbours is so frail that opening that door is just too much for her.

Lots of passionate comments on here about money boys. I pretty much only met money boys (all on Grindr) when I was in Thailand in May-June 2023 (mainly because I was too lazy to put in an effort) and I will probably meet money boys again during another two week stint in BKK in December 2023.... Out of the several money boys I met, only one or two were not stunning to my eyes (I walk around the streets in BKK in awe of how beautiful most Thai guys are.) Only one of the guys made it obvious that he didn't like me and only that one really FELT like it was a transaction. With each guy we agreed on a price before meeting and they seemed to base that on what we were doing more than the time spent. The guys were all very easy going and a handful stayed for hours chatting in bed afterwards and never asked for extra. I was asked by a few of the guys if i wanted to go out with them at night, but I didn't. I regret not doing that and may do in December if the opportunity presents again. I would never dream of looking down on any of the guys I met, even if two have asked for money since I left Thailand (I didn't send it.) They were perfect for me at the time, most seemed like really nice guys, a few still chat with me on Line as I am learning Thai now and I can see potential friendships into the future, which is great especially if I may one day move to Thailand...

From VN Express The upcoming Tan Son Nhat T3 Terminal, backed by an investment of more than US$450 million, will showcase a design inspired by Vietnam's traditional dress ao dai and a green commercial complex. Continues with video https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/traffic/this-is-how-tan-son-nhat-s-new-terminal-will-look-like-4637485.html

He was hungry.

Very true , I thought about this after you last wrote it and I noticed many other posters quoting what you wrote . The excitement and looking forward ,even the planning etc , but you know you get the both of both worlds if you live in farangland and travel there two or three times a year . I actually asked a expat who moved to Pattaya what he looks forward to in regard to travel now ,and he really couldn't come up with anything except Cambodia. Last month I actually met a former Pattaya business owner who was now living in his home country and visiting Thailand,he gets far more enjoyment in visiting twice a year than living there ,although at his age of 72 he is finding the travel can be tiring. He actually lovess to work and still works full time in his home country so can afford to travel rather than as he puts it " hibernate in a room in Pattaya by himself all year long" " been there done that" he said I wont say who it is but he was running a business back in the early 2000's in Pattaya ,a nice guy

if you move you will lose a chance to travel to Thailand for vacations. Give it consideration

I suggest doing what I do. No communication or responses of any kind to this proven troll. Let him say what he wants. That's how trolls like that get their jollies for lack of anything better to do, but don't respond in any way, shape, or form. They thrive on getting responses. Sooner or later he'll get bored talking to himself and disappear - if he doesn't get himself banned first.

From Thailand News Agency BANGKOK, Sept 1 (TNA) – His Majesty the King has granted a royal pardon to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, reducing his prison sentence from eight years to one year. The 74-year-old Thaksin returned to Thailand from 15 years of self-imposed exile on Aug 22. He was sent to Bangkok Remand Prison on the same day to serve an eight-year prison sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest. He was transferred to the Police General Hospital on the first night in jail due to his illnesses including chest pain and hypertension and has remained hospitalized since then. Outgoing deputy prime minister and justice minister Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday disclosed that Thaksin’s formal application for a royal pardon had been filed. (TNA)

Seems to me that all of this was agreed in advance of him returning to Thailand. Would he really have come back if he knew he'd spend years in prison?

now he needs somehow to figure out how to leave hospital without returning to his comfy cell at Bangkok Hilton. House arrest perhaps?

for me is that moment when I pass immigration and exit customs heading to escalators down to ARL station. Always think, wow I'm back again. Even now writing it I feel some nice tingling

Since democracy was introduced in 1932 the country has had 20 different charters - most changed after the latest military coup. As good a reason as any for getting the military out of politics IMHO.

It does seem notable that the PM is doing these appearances to try and win people over. No VIP treatment boarding the plane in Phuket. Visiting the market to talk to the merchants and find out what their issues are. Riding the MRT with commuters. They know that they look terrible right now. I guess it seems inevitable that they will find some way to try and get rid of MFP. The people running the show are short-term thinkers. MFP need to be recruiting and identifying the next crop of leaders. The push for a citizen-led charter rewrite is worth watching. Clearly that's the last thing the generals and powers that be want to happen.

The above quote is from your opening post, but now that you have made your intentions clearer, perhaps some of us can give you more specific advice. As Vinapu said in his first reply, your best venue is Tawan Bar. They generally have several bodybuilder types though it depends also on whether it is competition season or not. If you're also interested in guys who are fit and gymmed but not bodybuilder type, then Jupiter bar might serve your needs too. From a gogo bar like Tawan and Jupiter, you can call any guy you fancy to come sit with you and you buy him a drink. He will engage in small talk with you (may depend on his language skills) and eventually, if you wish, you can ask him whether he will go back to your hotel room with you. You need to be clear whether you want "short time" or "long time". Short time is usually 60-90 minutes. Long time means he stays/sleeps till morning. The boy will tell you how much he wants for ST and LT. some boys do not do LT. You don't have to say in any great detail what you want to do within that time since your intentions are not very demanding. (If you want to top him or you are hoping for bondage, etc, then you SHOULD get his agreement beforehand.) The boy may be a bit surprised if, in the hotel room, you don't really want to proceed all the way to sex, but he is not going to insist. Remember, these guys have seen many different types of clients. Do not expect or even ask for a discount just because you don't intend to proceed to sex. You're paying for his time. Vinapu also mentioned 3 massage places with bigger boys. They are "bigger" by Asian standards, not by European standards. Very few bodybuilder types. On some days, none. I am not sure how they will respond in a massage place if you're only interested in body worship (I won't even call it muscle worship), because in a massage place, they have a certain protocol to perform a massage. If you don't want a massage, they may be confused. If you do want a massage, then that's well and fine. The massage shop will usually tell you what the shop's price is and what the expected tip for your chosen boy is. Don't be afraid to ask. Hope above helps.

Probably, good chance I won't ,even though I lift weights everyday sometimes twice a day ,and I really hit it hard doubt it's good for my health actually to push weights hard at my age but I do it more for mental health ,sometimes I lift for more than 2 hours at a time ,just put my headphones on and lift My blood pressure is also high, probably caused by the testereone injection I take monthly ,yesterday 158/17..had to restart blood pressure medication again , my weight 108kg , stay off salt said the doctor ,it's the salt he said ,salt? Could be anything that can cause high blood pressure in reality I'm back on 5mg Amlodipine a day ,see if lowers it although he did make acomment that 17 reading is good? But not the 158 This is why it's important to try to do things like travel more etc instead of trying to hoard more money away . If your getting on in years it's no use hoarding your money away giving it away to nephews you never see much when you depart

Loading has been slow for a few days...at least for me.

All being said, to live in Thailand, the person needs to actually enjoy being a resident in Thailand (dealing with the spoken and written language barrier, pollution, weather...etc). It's very different from being a tourist.

Live in Thailand and you still have the enjoyment of returning. @10tazione has already mentioned the border runs which make it easy to travel to neighbouring countries with the joy of returning to look forward to. I live here and frequently travel to Taiwan, Vietnam and occasionally Japan. Airfares are a great deal less expensive than from Europe or the USA, I love those travels and I love returning. Best of both worlds! Plus it's much cheaper living here than in the UK.

I liked the Arcadia beach Condominiums ,same Soi as the Sansuk sauna. Studios there range from 1.2 million onwards , 24 hr security,gym,very long resort pool, However one must think carefully about if you can cope with living in a 21sqm room forever , it did have a separate bedroom It may be better to rent first . Another hidden gem even though some may consider it "low class " is the Flybird Condominium up near third road ,studios around 32sqm sell from 400,000 baht upwards ,no lift however . Hard to weigh up the pro's & cons of renting vs buying . Factors in such thing as age of yourself are important too

$100 is probably the minimum if we are talking about muscle boy stunners in Thailand. Sex and/or massage is expected, even if you don’t need it, but you can certainly replace it with muscle worship if it's your fetish. You pay for the block of their time, what you do with the time is your choice. As @vinapu points out, you can pay them to watch your family photos with you, they don't mind.

Circus for me. You can also sit outside Banana bar and pop in to see the show!

I take it you are using MS Edge. I now use Chrome just for this web site as Edge comes up with the warnings all the time.

you worry too much about visas and too little about bulges

We have known for weeks that the Thai Elite Visa programme is being revamped. Folllowing the company's embarrassing climbdown mid-month over its cancellation of certain longer term benefits for existing basic 5-year Elite card holders, the new rebranded programme has been been launched. The eight different types of visa have been reduced to four and allegedly the benefits are more simple and easy to understand. That may well be the case, but it all comes at a massive increase in cost. According to the blurb, the company has four main targets - frequent international visitors, Investors and Digital Nomads, Expats and Retirees. That is the first time I have noticed that retirees are a target market. The pricing of the new programmes is - 5 year GOLD visa: 900,000 baht - an increase from the existing 600,000 10 year PLATINUM VISA: 1,500,000 baht 15 year DIAMOND VISA: 2,000,000 baht 20 years or more RESERVE visa: 5,000,00 baht (by invitation only and reserved for 100 members per year) If anyone is thinking of applying for the existing Elite programmes, you should act now as you only have until September 15. The basic visa for 600,000 will give you the option of upgrading up to 15 more years at 400,000 baht provided you renew and pay prior to three months of expiry. Or you can immediately purchase 20 years for 1 million baht. There is presently no indication that any form of upgrading will be permitted under the new programmes. Wait till the 15th and you will only get 15 years for 2 million baht! I suppose the question all retirees and potential retirees have to ask is: am I better with the existing 65,000 monthly inward remittance/deposit of 800,000 reducing to 400,000 annually held untouched in a savings account route? Unquestionably the answer is yes. At least with the deposit route, you/your dependents get the money back on permanent departure from Thailand or death. On the other hand, for those with a bit of cash to splash, 20 years for 1 million baht cash out can seem worthwhile, if only because it is basically hassle free and is especially useful for those who travel regularly. The allied question, though, has to be: for how long will the annual limits for retirees continue at their present level? If Thailand Elite has raised its fees by between 50% and well over 100% and retirees are included in the target market, will be existing annual limits for retirees also be due for an increase - perhaps sooner rather than later? https://www.asiaone.com/business/thailand-privilege-card-marks-20th-anniversary-grand-revamp-unveils-new-brand-logo

Yup. This. Deals were made.

what about me ?, I was in Thailand already 3 times in 2023 , increase of 50% over 2022

....and now better! at least here. I didn't realise I had so much influence.

Telephone hasn't been Telephone for years --- now CIRCUS. Maybe Balcony or Connections would be better.

Looks rather nice and for some good news for West Australians, Vietnam Airlines are starting direct flights from Perth to Ho Chi Minh city in December. Thai is still not flying from here and no real word on when or even if they will be returning, so I can see the Vietnam flights could become quite popular.

From Pattaya Mail Pattaya’s tourism landscape shifts as Chinese visitor numbers decline Pattaya is facing new challenges as the flow of Chinese tourists, once a dominant force, dwindles. The President of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA) Boonanan Pattanasin, has highlighted the evolving dynamics of this popular travel hub on August 28. For years, Pattaya has drawn in millions of Chinese tourists, acting as a substantial economic contributor. However, recent stringent visa regulations and concerns about potentially unaccounted Chinese funds have triggered a notable drop in these figures. In the interest of curbing gray-market financial activities, tighter regulations and meticulous vetting procedures have been implemented, leading to a decline in tourist numbers. Boonanan recognized that this downturn can be attributed to a combination of factors, including decreased flight availability and rising airfares. This trend, affecting the broader Thai tourism landscape, is also influencing Pattaya. To combat these challenges, collaborative strategies have been launched involving public and private sectors, along with airlines, to boost flight capacity at U-Tapao International Airport and promote tourism during the upcoming high season. The shifting behavior of Chinese visitors is evident, with a growing preference for independent travel (FIT) over group tours. Nonetheless, group tours still constitute a considerable 40% of the total Chinese visitors. Despite this, Pattaya has witnessed a noticeable decline in Chinese tourist arrivals, which has left a mark on hotel occupancy rates. Pattaya’s situation is further complicated by its airport’s limitations. While U-Tapao International Airport serves as a gateway, its flight options are limited. Nevertheless, Chinese tourists remain pivotal to Pattaya’s economic fabric, supporting local businesses both as FIT travelers and group tourists. Recent tourism trends in Thailand suggest encouraging growth, with a steady stream of foreign visitors. Notably, Vietnamese tourists have spearheaded this trend, contributing to a 14.40% increase, followed by South Korean and Indian tourists at 9.27% and 7.17% respectively. These statistics bode well for the remainder of 2023, hinting at a robust visitor turnout primarily from the ASEAN, East Asian, and South Asian regions.

I remember the BBB Inn! Happy days. Going back to the thread, the main advantage of meeting the guy downstairs is no nasty surprises, ie 15 years older etc. Easier to politely remove the guy if you are in lobby!

During my last trip, one of the guy i took told me upfront that he will not be able to eat breakfast with me but will stay me until breakfast time. He told me he owns a gym and need to unlock the gym early in the morning. I was ok with it but in the morning he suddenly says he is ok to eat breakfast with me. During breakfast, i asked about the gym, and he said he asked a friend to open it for him. So boys can also surprised us sometime by staying longer. Rare but very appreciated for sure.

True. I love my six months I spend in Thailand. But would I love it as much living there the whole year? Maybe not. Butterflying can also wear out your wings. Nothing beats the excitement and anticipation of arriving in Thailand.

I used to like the BBB inn ,who remembers that? Of course I shouldn't be talking about the past , I always was critical of older folk who talked about the past when I was younger now I find I do it myself 😂

Ditto! I am more than a year or two older than @vinapu (even though I may look younger 😵). In all my years of riding the Skytrain, only once has anyone offered to give me a seat - and she was a middle-aged woman. I compare this to Taipei where I am frequently offered one of the seats for those with special needs of one sort or another. And no, I don't carry a cane! 🤣

It didn't mean to come out that way ,my apologies 🙏 I mean being a realist and 60yo I'm probably not going to be here in 30 years , that's the way it is , Sad fact of life but most of us will go between 80-85 . I hope that doesn't upset anyone

Another excellent summary! On the widebody front I think they have every version of the 777, plus A350s and 787s!

As I said, I'm sure it's all been carefully planned in advance. Interesting though that the the generals agree with a pardon. I am assuming they do, as otherwise it would not be possible to go through with it. Mind you Thaksin is a very wealthy man!

It may be helpful if we had clarification if the friend is into mature Asian guys, or more Caucasian-looking mature guys. Because if he is into Caucasian-looking mature guys, he may find that a lot of them are in Thailand specifically in order to chase young guys, and are not interested. But if he likes Asian mature guys, I would say if he went into ant of the saunas and showed a little interest in the older guys there, he would be fighting them off...?

+1

I'll worry about that if and when it happens - and if those already retired in Thailand for x number of years would have to face increases too. From among all the advice I've ever received, the one I like best is "Don't worry until you have something to worry about." So far nothing to worry about.

Nantra Silom or Baan Silom but they still can be stopped by reception or night guard and asked where they go. Be nice to your boys and at least greet them in the lobby and escort them from there or as minimum tell reception ' My friend is coming in 1 hour , please let him in, my room is 212"

I guess at your age with 8- 10 years left it's not worth it your right 👍