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I think it's precise for the same reason lovers of twinks, ladyboys and indeed girls are choosing Thailand. Enough supply available in well organized system and at economic prices in safe environment. Guaranteed hot weather, good and varied food , lot of cultural attractions, well developed tourist infrastructure is a bonus. People with low self-esteem and meagre resources ( like me ) can boost their ego by lodging in great hotels for fraction of price they'd be paying somewhere else. Where you will go? North America and Europe - too pricey Latin America, discussed many times, guys cheaper and better built but food and lodging more expensive , airfares not competitively priced and safety concerns Middle East - gay paradise but you will get there only after they behead or stone you first Africa - where you want to start ? Uganda, Mali or South Africa, in short , expensive , unsafe and homophobic. Russia - cold , expensive and always danger you may bump on the street into Moses China - all dots may connect but not necessarily penetrable for foreigners. in short , Thailand is only place where you guaranteed that in 3 hours from landing you will be in embraces of some guy of your taste and survive to tell the tale, still holdin on to most of your cash.

Yes, as others have noted. the rooms all share the balcony and each one has its own table and chairs where we'd breakfast. Copa is much the same but there are only four (?) penthouse rooms. One advantage Copa has is that it doesn't get the glare of the afternoon sun, something that can be extreme at Ambiance. It is true that curtains need to be drawn- Ambiance's are thick and luxurious- for privacy. A neighbour forgot this one early evening, allowing us to see him and his partner in flagrante delicto as we went to dinner. And very cute his visitor was....at least as I far as I could see from the rear.

You have yet discovered Brazil....you could be a convert, like Namazu was, he spends more time there than in his own house now. Very favorable exchange rate with good airbnb rates comparable to BKK. SP has a variety of good restaurants, even Viet and Thai If you're in a city served by Copa airlines, they offer very good fares to S. America

Good for Rob. That type of sneaky "theft" really needs to be called out! As for me, I was withdrawing quite a lot of money (30k) and I didn't want to dawdle near the ATM for obvious security concerns, and I was not expecting that stealth screen, so I rushed, which cost me dearly alas.

I remember they did before and it was smart casual. Found this. "Both Vertigo and Moon Bar have a 'Smart Casual' dress code, requiring semi-formal attire: long trousers and closed shoes for gentlemen, no torn jeans, sleeveless tops, shorts or flip-flops for ladies and gents."

I'd wonder the same thing. I'm in the sauna looking for a short-time GP, not a boyfriend / partner. I don't care who's at home waiting for the guy. I've got him to myself, without sharing, for the hour (less, actually). Most of the GP are doing this to earn money to support themselves, their girlfriend / spouse / children. Gay, not gay, straight, bi ... those lines are blurred especially in Latin America / South America. BlkSuperman: do you care where the guys with those big dicks you're attracted to stick those dicks after they're inside you? No, I don't think you do. 🤪

I was at 117 in August and there were lots of guys of all shapes, heights etc to suit most tastes. As Mavica says the wait time on a Tuesday can be off putting. I had my best night by far on a Friday at Pointe. Met a very nice GP who had just had 6months in Manchester and so spoke quite good English. He was super horny and we had excellent sex. As with all the GP saunas who is there varies from day to day, and if they are your "type" is luck of the draw. I personally still believe its a enjoyable evening out. Socialising and being teased !!

After conducting a multi-year survey consisting of numerous “experiments” primarily focused on Rio de Janeiro but including to a lessor extent São Paulo and other cities in Brazil I have come to the completely unscientific conclusion that sex with guys that are genuinely interested in penis is better - at least for me - than guys that are doing something that doesn’t come naturally to them. Aside from my stated goal of avoiding mechanical sex, much of it also has to do with the fact that I like staying in touch at least to some degree with the people I exchange bodily fluids with and a guy that is reluctant to share his WhatsApp because he is concerned that his esposa will inquire about strange messages isn’t what I’m after. My experience has also been that garotos sem esposas or filhos result in fewer pleas for ajuda after I return home. On an odd but related note, has anybody out there read Sex at Dawn? To answer the question you actually asked though, I look for a garoto that is lindo and doing something - anything - with his life other than having meaningless (usually mechanical) sex with tourists day in and day out at the sauna. Bonus points are also awarded should the garoto be able to show interest in some part of my life other than how many reais are in my wallet.

the most beautiful, gym body guys have been some of the most mediocre sex and some average guy next door has been amazing in bed, that's my experience. I also prefer "straight" married guys....I don't have to worry about them wanting me to fuck them once in the room, lol

It is very easy and cheap to eliminate bedbugs is you are living in cold country. Bedbugs can't live in cold. If you think your bed is infested, take it outside of the home (on balcony, for example) and keep it there for 24 hours, cold will kill not only bedbugs but their eggs also. -5C is enough. You may kill eggs in bed clothes on the same way just in plastic bag by putting it into freezer for 24 hours.

I'd be interested to know why those members who prefer "muscle-guys" chose Thailand as a destination in the first place. I've always associated Thailand with twinks and it was to meet them I came all those years ago. Others, I know, like ladyboys but I suspect that they are straight. Had I been interested in and heavier-built guys, I'd have gone elsewhere. In fact, just about anywhere other than Asia. Please enlighten me.

YOU DONT KNOW ME SO DONT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS. ITS SOUNDS LIKE YOURE CALLING ME A MORAL -LESS WHORE! You know me too well, my friend! Lol! When I read the post it got me to thinking about my guys and they all have women and children. Remember me walking into the party a few months ago and the barber introduced me to his wife? I know a few of the women know, for sure. Just like a part time job. Slinging dick provides supplemental income for these guys. And at $40 A POP (pun intended), "I'll gladly oblige them and their BIG DICKS"

Isn't mechanical what we almost always get when we're short time in a so/so room with a GP for the first time? A BFE might be expected when we have a repeat - longer / more comfortable - session in a hotel or apt. away from the sauna. As for Tuesday @ 117: though the # of GP on-site can be high, and many super attractive ... the oftentimes long wait for a room is, for me, a turn-off. Thanks for your report.

I decided to try Copa Hotel for a change in Boyztown, overall i was happy with the experience. I'm wondering if any of the Boyztown hotels have rooms with a balcony where I don't need to go downstairs to have a cigarette, suggestions welcome if anyone has a tip on that? Second road outside the Boyztown entrance is a mess with construction (still), I swear that last time i was in Pattaya the road works were just 100m up the road, they must be paid by the hour. I spent some nights in Castro for the shows, one of the backup dancers i previously fawned over at the Venue is in the show at Castros now. I didn't try to pursue him with tips this time, he seemed uninterested and I had other interests that needed my attention. I ventured into Toyboys on a few occasions, most nights 10-20 guys on stage, mix of twink and twunk. On the last night i spent there I had been ushered in and sat down with a drink while the stage stands there staring at me, waiters/papasans? constantly asking me who i want and me repeating every minute or two that i'm not sure yet. I eventually called down a guy and ordered him a drink, not 1 minute later a guy I would consider a solid 9/10 struts into the bar putting on his number, he doesn't even get one leg on the stage before I point at the empty side of me. Now i need to break it to the first guy that he no longer is required, i sheepishly deliver the decision with the red note runner-up prize in hand and make my leave with a new shiny regular added to my growing list of repeats. Finally, I spent a few nights with the Winner crew in Sunee. Still no sign of the much rumoured new Sunee venues, but we can live in hope as I see the 7/11 that was closed during covid is back at least. a 7/11 nearby can only mean one thing, there is still life and baht in the area, or hope. Anyway, Winner is still somewhere I have a good time anytime I go. I went there one night telling myself I'm just going for a drink and to chat with the owner and guys for a bit, no offs tonight. Hours later i stumble out drunk after all kinds of rambunctious actions under cushions arm in arm with someone new. That's about it for this instalment of Pattaya, I will be back there sometime soon. I took the Jomtien bus back to Bangkok where I'm currently planning my next steps and chasing down some guys on that hitlist of mine. To be continued..

no, that's no kidding matter

I actually look for smiles. A guy not able to muster smiles before the sale is unlikely to suddenly turn nice in the room. (Of course, if you are just looking to get pounded, this may not be so important; in that case, I would ask/insist on seeing the dick hard and I would note how quick the erection fades) Also if they are willing to give a couple "sample" kisses, this can be very revealing. I say (through the translator) that kissing is the most important thing for me, are they into kissing? Normally that is there chance to give you an amazing kiss. If they just say yes, or kiss you like granny...they are unlikely to get better behind closed doors. But true, there are no guarantees, and the most auspicious can be a dud in the room. Also on a few occasions, I have thought a guy was just so handsome that I've gone through with it despite inauspicious signs, but that is vanishingly rare.

@Mavica I think I found the moral-less whore you were speaking of. See quote by @floridarob. Lol! For some crazy reason knowing that these guys have a wife, girlfriend had children at home turns me on immensely. Don't forget, I'm that gay man who prefers straight porn and also pay to watch the barber ph-uck women I meet in the colonial zone. I think we're all kinda fukced up in this group. Lol.

Thanks Vinapu!

And mature people filter their thoughts. If I expressed every thought that comes into my head you would think I’m a psychopath. So…filter.

Maybe they should rename Penthouse room to Peekaboo room.lol.

I'm sure we've all read the news about Paris and how bedbugs seem to have taken over the city. Now sightings are reported on the London underground. Unlike Bangkok, Hong Kong and many other cities, London's Tube cars have upholstered seating. Ideal for bedbugs to lurk and then climb on to whatever you are wearing. Before you know it, they have crept on to your bed, found a nice little niche and start to breed. They bite but to most people the bites are painless. They just leave red marks on the skin. The problem is essentially twofold: they breed like crazy and they are very difficult and usually expensive to eliminate. Bangkok is not immune to their infestation. Anyone who travels has a high chance of having bedbugs in their hotel/B&B beds. Put your clothes or suicases on to the bed and they will hitch a lift. Next thing you know you have brought some of these highly resilient buggers back to your home. Never put your suitcase and clothes on the bed and always keep the case firmly closed. As the following article from The Guardian points out, bedbugs "are incredibly good hitchkikers." The fact is that bedbugs have been around in most countries for centuries. The present rise in numbers seems to be associated with climate change and an increasing resistance to insectocides like DDT which was used to eliminate them decades ago. If you think you have found one or more, strip the bed and immediately get the bedclothes to a professional cleaner. Also get a pest control company in fast. It may not get rid of it/them at the first cleaning. That's why it can become quite expensive. Leave it too late and they will find their way into your furniture. As the article points out, we live in "a bug's world." We'll never get rid of them all. But we can take precautions to make sure this lot do not take up residence in our homes. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/11/french-bedbugs-britain-insects

unless you have an access to freezer as Moses advised

threat it as you paid dearly for security and peace of mind. I still prefer to carry a cash and use ATM only when I'm running out at end of trip. In such cases I always try to withdrew as much as limit is so impact of those fees on both ends is minimized. If some baht will be left unspent , there's always next trip to ease that burden.

From Thai PBS Workd The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) will send two planes to Israel this Sunday to fly 220 Thai evacuees back to Thailand, followed by a third flight next Wednesday to pick up more evacuees, Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkaphong Sangmanee told MPs in the parliament today (Thursday). The first batch of 15 Thais arrived this morning on an El Al flight, to be followed by a second group of 26 evacuees on the same day, said Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, adding that the number of Thais wanting to come home has increased to over 6,000 while 16 Thais are now being held hostage by Hamas. He said that the government has been trying to arrange for more flights to pick up Thai evacuees in Tel Aviv, but added that, if flights can be arranged in Israel, more evacuees will be able to fly home quickly.

Like you Bill I have never quite understood the attraction of the Bars in the Complex. Especially in the low-season, it seems rather like a waste of time, and money. It seems boys are more interested in playing with their phones than they are playing with customers.

It is a ripoff because the conversion rate concession is way too big (FIVE PERCENT) and it was done in a very sneaky way with a final screen which was inserted into the process (at least at "yellow bank" that was the case). AND the buttons on the screen make it way more likely you are going to hit ACCEPT. In fact I don't even remember if there was a DECLINE button but I assume there was. Still sneaky shit in my book. Just a warning to others to be careful!

You are right, vinapu, the bank's conversion rate is always lower, but in this case I lost FIVE PERCENT. That's a huge "commission" to take. And it does it by a very sneakily designed last-moment screen in the withdrawal process. Of course I will never make that mistake again, it cost me 40+ bucks. Hard lesson.

I withdrew 30,000. And yes 5% of that is >$40. And no, this is the first time this screen appeared at the "yellow bank" ATM which I have been using for years. So get your facts straight, ok?

7 weeks, 3 trips so far in 2023

Sorry I cannot remember despite having been there several times. Each time i was in dark jeans, a Polo shirt and sneakers. No probems. I suspect Hawaiian shirts and shorts may not be not permitted.

What are the good signals you see in garoto before actually hiring? Due to still limited Portuguese, I can only judge by the looks, so it all random, some good looking ones are pretty bad in a room

When I initially started visiting Thailand often many years ago I used to always use the ATMs then as their fees increased, coupled with my own UK bank fees, I looked after a holiday and realised just what this small benefit was actually costing me - and it was a fortune! I now simply take sufficient UK notes, pack them in to a couple of envelopes, place in buttoned trouser pockets for my flight then straight in to the room safe on arrival, I then exchange with the best rates (defiantly I think in Bangkok Super Rich Silom road and larger notes give the best rates, but always a long wait!) however other than a rip of sudden emergency ATM saves me a fortune! Additionally more Thai establishments accept credit or debit cards, some such as Chase don't charge a currency conversation fee and the rates their rates seem to normally reflect the acceptable rates from change places, so I increasingly use plastic!

I'm curious to know why this was a RED FLAG for you?

is not that bad, few years ago I observed my birthday in very room in front of which pics above was taken. Sure you won't have much privacy on verandah but if you draw the curtains you are safe in the room. And lets be honest , other guests will be doing exactly the same you will so their time to spy on you will be very limited.

I was in Pattaya end of July and 1st wk of August. I went online on Grindr and found many willing guys. Turns out all were from Jomtien bars, but they were willing to deal directly with potential customers when they were not working. So there were no off fees. I met several guys that way including two 3-somes. In fact, I didn't visit a single bar this trip. Been-there-done-that on previous trips, but this time there was no problem finding lots of guys solely using Grindr.

Some years ago I considered booking their Penthouse room but the shared terrace completely put me off , Every guest might stroll near my room is making it no privacy at all.

while rooms at Ambiance are very nice and extremely good value for money , my preference is either Classrooms or Copa as Ambiance convoluted , maze like corridors make strong impression of being fire trap .

I'd be happy to pay more than senior price if I could stay below any senior age threshold.

Last month when I went to 117 on a Tuesday, it was delightful. Packed and loads of fun.

I went to Club 117 today (Tuesday) after a long absence. Boys significantly out numbered clients and much of what was available had too much muscle for my taste. I like lean and toned but get turned off once they cross the line into body builder territory. In any case though, there were two that caught my attention but after chatting with them I got the feeling that spending time with them was likely to be a mechanical experience and decided to pass which I guess is what happens as you get older and your Portuguese improves. Both had esposas/namoradas and filhos at home which is a red flag for me. I’m at Etta Bar drinking caipirinhas and listening to lives jazz now and don’t regret my decision at all. I’m definitely getting older….

Onward to Pattaya, I opted for a new mode of transport (for me), the bus from BKK to Jomtien for 165 baht. It was on time, no issues and I got some free entertainment. I boarded the bus and made my way up the aisle to find someone sitting in my selected window seat, not to worry, it’s a short trip I’ll survive. Then he begins playing football youtube videos on his phone with the sound up, ok I’ve got my airpods back I’ll play some music. After 10 minutes of his videos he opens up the line contacts and starts messaging the girls to meet while facing his phone directly at me, ok I’m locked in now, pour me some tea. First Reply: “I cannot I visit my mom until 30th” Damn, I’m sure that’s who she’s with. After about 10 minutes and multiple chats going nowhere, he’s got one replying, I try not to smirk as he is trying to negotiate bareback with this girl with his phone centimetres from my face on full brightness. Long story short, she basically made him jump through hoops for 30 minutes while he tries to convince her, then she drops “2000 baht you pay in advance now”. I’m screaming internally DO NOT FUCKING DO IT, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF BUDDHA! Thankfully, he seems to have given up at that, he rests his head on his clenched fist and leans against MY window looking out in sorrow. cheer up lad, you're on your way to a buyers market. Overall, the bus trip was fine, it took about the same amount of time as my usual Nam’s trip at a tenth of the cost. I jumped on a mototaxi with my backpack and headed into Jomtien complex where I had booked my stay, I could have walked it from the bus station, but it was hot and I hadn’t eaten all day so I’ll overpay for the 1 minute ride. In the mornings/afternoons when i rise I usually find my perch at O’Delicies or Dicks with breakfast and some coffee while I watch the Soda massage arrivals. There were anywhere from 10-20 on any given day, two of which i promptly added to my mental note 'hitlist'. I've got another massage story... same rules, i know mistakes etc etc. My first massage at Soda I'd call my redemption massage, the massage itself was lacking but finding a twink to give a strong thorough massage is not an easy task. He was ok though, and we made our way around the room in a flurry of suspicious noise-invoking moves before I tipped him for his performative dance. As i'm getting dressed he drops a "i love you" and i chose to ignore it (this will be red flag #1 for later reference). The next day as i saunter up looking for the other name on my mental hitlist i see the second guy but he's sporting a bloody nose, tissues rammed up there and head tilted back. I'm not going to risk that coming undone for my massage, so i request day 1 guy again and off we go. The massage itself was fine, the turn and dance was good, but then he asks to exchange line and i reluctantly add him knowing it's just going to be money requests later. The moment after i leave the shop my phone is blowing up with i love you, what you do later, all kinds of love bombing emojis. I don't have love on the mind so i decide to ignore the messages, well that just makes it worse apparently, now its turned to 'why dont you reply, why dont you love me, am i bitch', it goes on. All very dramatic for a guy i've known for 2 hours, half of that time having face planted in a table. I block him knowing that I have to walk past this shop multiple times a day, and oh boy, the dirty looks every time i step foot out of my hotel. I decided i might give Soda a cooldown period so i don't get stabbed. The usual suspects were at the host bars in the evenings in Jomtien, some were good looking, some were too pushy, but plenty of opportunities. I did find myself bored in Jomtien complex for the first time though and I was having issues at Agate with my Russian straight couple neighbours on the other side of the paper-thin walls. I'm not sure if it's a low-season phenomenon or if straights don't look at where they're staying, but the demographics of Agate were a lot different than my previous trips, I felt like the only gay in the village and the hotel looked to be fully booked. The neighbour couple certainly were not fans of what i was doing with one of my regulars right as they sat down to eat dinner in their room one evening, I don't speak Russian but i got a good sense of what they were saying. Of course my regular who loves a bit of playful banter took it upon himself to turn it up a notch both with his vocals and the slapping sounds. I couldn't stop him if i tried, but he is the reason i can no longer look them in the eyes when i step out onto my balcony. Time to leave, I've done enough to Jomtien for the time being. I hop on the baht bus and venture off to stay in Boyztown and spend some time at my favourite little gogo in Sunee.

As @PeterRS .... With the exception of Adam's Apple and a few others, Chiang Mai's gay venues are primarily for the local population. That's true if you look at the time immediately after Covid, a year has now passed, I can only speak for Adam's Apple Club here: We now have around 50% Thai visitors (from all over the country, mainly Bangkok) and the rest is made up from 25% Asian neighboring countries and 25% Western visitors. The number of western guests is slowly but steadily increasing, I think we can make new statements after Loy Krathong (Festival of Lights) in November.

Day 9 After breakfast and bidding my temp boyfriend goodbye, I once again am embracing singleness and ready for my next adventure. But at this point of the trip, I surprisingly found myself clueless with what to do next. It's similar to the feeling of having done a number of trips in the buffet line ---- you're not full yet unsure what to eat next. I decided to give myself a detox and declared a "cock embargo" for today. Started with distracting myself with Netflix and catching up with my series. When I start feeling a bit lethargic, I went down the gym for a bit of a run. By mid-day, the Filipino MB (Jake) I met previously (see Day 5) messaged asking if I'm still around. Turned out he'll fly out in a couple of days and wanting to know if I want to meet up. Banking on my previous positive experience, I agreed but warned him that my current mood and preference is just to go with the flow and walk around aimlessly. With that disclaimer made, we met up in Terminal 21 and eventually found ourselves making our way to Iconsiam. Inside the mall, we chanced upon what looks like an English style tea house - which made me suddenly crave for a proper tea and scone. I dragged Jake who later confessed that it's his first time doing this style of afternoon tea. Armed with this new information, I decided to give him the "full experience" and ordered the high tea set. His face lit up with excitement when the order was served. He took photos of the tiered cakes and savouries selection and asked me if I can take a photo of him with it as well. I was a bit embarrassed but encouraged by his excitement so I went for it and grabbed his mobile. After tea, we walked for a bit and did some minor shopping before finding ourselves back to my apartment. We spent the early part of the evening talking, cuddled up and making out between conversations. Nothing extra spicy happened beyond that. When he mentioned that he haven't been to a male gogo bar before, I took it upon myself to introduce him to that world. After dinner (via grab) we made our way to Dreamboys. In my 7+ years of visiting Thailand, this is the first time that I went to a gogo club with a companion. It was a different experience but I enjoyed it overall. Jake was a bit taken aback with how much I am paying for the drinks and just nursed his "entry bottle" throughout the night. As the night progress, he started being more and more touchy and affectionate. Didn't help that I introduced him as my husband to make the Mamasans leave us alone. He particularly enjoyed the drag performance. I gave him a couple of 100 baht and told him to give it to the performer he likes the most. He hesitated at first but drew the courage to approach the stage to give his tip - and was ecstatic when rewarded by one performer with a peck on the cheek. When the first show of the night ended and the guys are up in the stage, Jake asked me if I have selected who I will be taking home that night. When I said no, he responded saying "good, because you're taking me with you tonight." And consistent with today's theme of going with the flow..... I did.

THE FINAL DAYS Spoiler, or TLDR: things with Tao end on a sour note, but the silver lining in the cloud is that I meet someone else. My time in Pattaya turned out to be less active than I’d hoped, though maybe that’s not a bad thing for a vacation. Grand plans to visit the Truth temple and an elephant sanctuary, or maybe take in a Muay Thai match, do not work out; I even miss Jomtien and Walking Street. (The latter looked like a real circus from afar, not in a good way.) Did quite a bit of strolling up and down Pattaya Beach, though, which is a gorgeous thing to do at the golden hour. Also managed to get a little shopping done. The last couple of days were lazy ones. On Sunday, I sleep in. Staggered up at 9.30 a.m. to make it for the last stretch of the breakfast buffet, and faffed around a little – to use a friend’s preferred way of describing what one does when one does absolutely nothing productive – then returned to bed. Later in the aft, I decide I’ll try to get lucky again on Grindr with an in-call massage. I stumble onto Ken, a muscle boy who looks to be in his mid to late 30s. After a bit of back and forth and a number of repeated excuses, it becomes clear that he does not take clients in the day, for some reason or other. (He tells me he does massage work full-time, so it can’t be other work commitments. Maybe it’s a hangover.) In any case, he agrees to an 8.30 pm session at my hotel, then proceeds to show up 20 mins *ahead* of time. He’s not quite as muscled as in his pics and videos, but seems as if he still has some goods to show, so I decide to keep the session. In my room, after he takes his clothes off, I like what I see. Plus he’s wearing a red g-string, and there’s nothing I like better than skimpy undies on a built guy. The massage is decent – not great – but as least he didn’t rush through it to get to the finish. All good, in my book. I have a date with Tao, from the previous night at Dream Boys. Of course, when I show up at 10.30 p.m., he’s not around. “He no come”, the puzzled mama, Nonni, tells me. I’m disappointed and annoyed, but figure that this is boy bar culture – promises and punctuality are not prized goods. In any case, there’s the show at X-Boys across the street, and Nonni insists on coming with me and having me buy her a drink. I rather enjoy her good nature and love of fun, so it’s a green light. The show today is a diluted version of Saturday’s performance, and the crowd is also noticeably sparser. I end up ordering a bottle of Thai whiskey – Sansom, one of the cheapest on the menu – so naturally our table becomes the centre of the action. Nonni departs periodically for DB, and after an hour or so, as the performance is winding down and I’m wondering if I want to off one of the cuter faces on stage, lo and behold, Tao shows up, clad in his civvies. Clearly Nonni had worked her magic (or used her whip). I’m well, buoyantly pleased, to put it mildly. We return to DB, where the party continues. I buy another bottle of Sansom, and a good time is had by all. A group of us head out for supper at the braised duck eatery next door, and by the time Tao and I stumble back to my hotel I’m good and soused. Strangely, Tao turns out to *actually* be straight, or at least closer to the heterosexual end of the spectrum. He asks to watch some straight porn to get off, but is nonetheless very willing to cuddle and be affectionate. He also gifts me a little statuette of a monk as a souvenir, to which he wai-s when he takes his leave of it. It is one of the most personal presents I’ve received. My last full day in Pats is spent on a lousy hangover. Gone are the days when a night of binge-drinking will do little to me .. It’s another day of naps and faffing around, and then I unfortunately have to take a work meeting in the mid-aft. On my daily pre-dinner stroll along Beach Rd. I stumble onto the Fat Coco Seafood Club at the ship-shaped A1 Royal Cruise Hotel. The décor is tiki-tiki meets Miami Beach – lots of thatch and rattan and neon signage – and a real f**king hoot. I like the vibes enormously, so decide to splurge and order a crab omelette and a large plate of river prawns steamed with soy sauce and garlic. The omelette is a little too greasy for my taste, but the prawns are dee-lee-cious, and come with a fabulous green chili and lime dip. It’s hard to go wrong with seafood when it’s fresh and simply prepared. After dinner, Tao messages to ask if I want to spend some time with him later, when he’s at the bar. I’m thrilled, of course. I’m thinking that, yes, we can take it easy and maybe take a stroll on the beach (his suggestion), but, as most such narratives go, the protagonist is clearly being set up for a letdown. Tao proves to be a no-show, unsurprisingly. I sit at DB for 40 minutes that evening, chatting with Nonni and her fellow mama-san. When he eventually texts to say that “I busy”, but that he needs money, my patience has been quite abraded. I take off to X-Boys to watch the show – for the third night in a row – but am distracted by the constant messaging with Tao as he asks if I’m angry, if I can transfer some money to him, to say that he’s struggling and can he come to my room later (at 4 am!) etc. Nonni senses that I won’t be good company this evening, and seems a little uncomfortable. As I sit at the bar and think about the Buddhist notion of karma, I wonder where my interpersonal karmic balance with Tao now lies: in my favour (because he’s being such a user), or in his (his seemingly sincere gesture of a gift last night). I decide that his little statuette deserves, if nothing else, some cash at least, so I leave some with Nonni. I hope it’s of use to Tao, and that whatever issues he’s facing get sorted out. His unreliability with clients can’t possibly endear him to employers, and his prospects in this business may not be bright - I wonder if we’ll get to meet again, whether in this context or another altogether. As the show winds down, I spot a cute face from previous nights: a tall-ish guy in his late twenties perhaps, with full lips and floppy bangs. He’s gangly and slightly awkward as a performer, but that just adds to the charm. I take him – X-Boys’ off fee is 800 baht, higher than most – and head off back to the hotel, where, once again, it turns out that my gaydar is completely dysfunctional. Art (Utt?), despite the typical boy next door vibes, proves to be quite partial to male charms, and, in fact, within 20 minutes of being back in my room, we’re both done. That he rather enjoys my company is attested to by the fact that he hangs around afterward, and with the help of Google translate and his smattering of English, we manage to have a decently informative conversation, peppered with lots of kissing. It’s one of the sweetest encounters I’ve had on this trip, or in a long while, in fact. He comes from a rice-farming family in Isaan, and the shockingly calloused texture of his palms prompted my question about his background in the first place – he’s not the smoothest of the lot, as that upbringing suggests, but that just adds to the charm. When it’s time for him to leave, he tells me quite honestly that he’s hungry and off for supper, and that it’s his favourite chicken noodles he wants. Or, as he says it, with a rub of his washboard flat tummy, “chee-KEN noodles”. I’m just bowled over – by a boy mispronouncing chicken. My dotage has arrived. The next day, I send him 5 messages on Line, asking him to keep in touch. I leave for the airport in a bit, so am taking the little bit of free time I have to wrap up my report for you good folks. Wishing those who have plans in Thailand a productive time! (Looking at you, @jason1975.) May my little guy watch over us all in his meditative contemplation.

Day 8 The problem with writing trip reports like this is the more that you write and reflect back on your experiences, the more the longing and temptation to go back becomes unbearable. With four "usable" days left in my trip (not counting the 12th one as its usually spent doing pre departure stuff), I decided to fuel the "non-red light" sector of the Bangkok economy. (Lol) Given the generous baggage allowance from the airline, I planned to max it out by doing an early Christmas shopping. First stop is back to my usual - Platinum mall. This place is a favourite not just for the bargains but I also find the selection interesting and it feels more "compact" than MBK i.e. more shops and selections per square metres. As this is not the main reason for my trip, I want to be as time efficient as possible! More experienced bargain hunters might say that the Pratunam Market is much better price-wise but I would rather pay a bit more for the convenience and air-conditioning. After 3 hours of walking and hauling items around, I decided that I had enough and made my way to the 5th floor for a quick foot massage. I sat there and spent the next few minutes just being thankful for this kind of experience. When the massage was over, the masseuse pointed at my bulky shopping haul saying something around asking for my permission. Long story short, the sweet auntie reorganised the content of each shopping bags moving them around which resulted to less bags and a more manageable haul. I was so touched with her gesture and let my tip reflect my appreciation. After dropping my stuff in the apartment, I rested a bit and browsed through Grindr over a cuppa. There are some interesting and potential meetups but I decided to soldier on and go to my spa appointment that I booked via app. Upon arriving there, I thought it Will be a good idea to soup up the package and add more from their menu. That took another 3 hours off my day (facial, massage, foot scrub, pedi). I marched out feeling rejuvenated and a few baht lighter. Dreamboys was tonight's destination. This will be my first time to visit since they moved to their new location. I'll say that this new location looks much better especially with the absence of that huge pillar in the middle of the stage. The place is quite full and I can see several tables with bottle service that the staff are focusing their attention to. This turn out to be positive as I was left to my own devices the whole time with no Mamasan pressuring me to make my selection and off a boy. Question: how do bottle service works and is it more cost effective? How much should I tip the guys who say with me helping to down the bottle? One guy caught my attention since he looks like a twink version of this cute Thai actor named Papang (photo below). I smiled and motioned that he come join me which he immediately did. We had a good conversation as he can speak English reasonably - He mentioned that he will be moving to Australia soon. He's very personable and attractive but for some reason, I can't feel any spark. So after handing him his tip, I made my way out not really knowing where to go next. Given my lack of direction, a tout from freshboys managed to get hold of me and dragged me inside without any resistance from my part. I sat on a corner and realised that they are more than halfway through their show - the bit where they have to hit the pole with their dick. The sound the pole makes always make me cringe and can only imagine how painful it could be. Or is there a trick? I looked around and cant seem to find Nam around. Maybe he's on leave? I also saw a group of really youngish looking female Asian customers intently watching the big cock show. When they left a little while later, I noticed that they went to the bar straight from the shopping mall. A couple of their large transparent shopping bags contains all sorts of stuffed toys and other fluffy cutesy items. What can I say? Cock aficionados do come in different shapes and forms! One guy approached me, introduced himself and asked if he can sit beside me. He's cute so I did not object and even offered to order a boy drink for him. The plot thickened when it turned out to be Nam serving the boy drink while playfully looking at me pretending to be heart broken. I continued chatting with my guy until it's time for him to do his stage rotations. Nam took this opportunity, sat beside me and with a hurt puppy look on his face asked "you don't like me anymore?" which I answered with a resounding "yes!" We both laughed it off and he took that as a signal to be clingy and have his hands wandering everywhere. At that point, I started to feel that I am enjoying the night. While variety is good, I think there's a certain degree of comfort that familiarity can bring. So when Nam popped the question "I go home with you tonight?" I happily smiled, nodded and minutes later, were out in the street making our way to my apartment.

DAY 5 The frustrations of the previous day forgotten, I'm starting to enjoy being by the beach in Pattaya. The vibe is far, far different from Bangkok's, I have to say. The sight of a farang - typically in his 50s and up - sitting by himself at a bar in the middle of the day, staring rather blankly out into the street, is surprising in its ubiquity. Meanwhile, the locals almost seem to treat tourists who cross their path with an indifference that sometimes crosses over into badly concealed exasperation, as I found out when I asked for a grocery bag at the supermarket. (The sustainability movement hasn’t missed Thailand, so bags have to purchased at certain large retailers – Big C in this case.) I decide that I want a massage today, but as it turns out, the big guy up there had other ideas. I was in the Boyztown vicinity, and remember a fellow forum-er (Christian?) posting about a place called Relax Massage that boasts rather fetching lads. I stroll past the joint, but perhaps it’s too early in the day – this was slightly before 2 p.m. – and the few masseurs who were present did nothing for me. I ended up taking a rather pleasant jaunt back to my hotel along the beachfront instead, which actually wasn’t a bad substitute for the missed massage. I try my luck on Grindr later in the afternoon for an in-call masseur, and of course make the mistake of not asking for a video chat first. The boy shows up, and the discrepancy between the person in the profile and the boy in the flesh is just too wide for me to ignore. (He had photoshopped his acne issues out of the pictures, and there *were* issues.) I politely declined the session, and gave him 200 baht for his troubles. I wonder if it was too generous, but he did get all dressed up in a button-down shirt and slacks. I choose to be charitable about the misleading photos, since it seems to be common practice hereabouts – he was likely just doing what he needed to, to conduct business. Lesson learnt. As consolation, I buy myself a couple of cocktails at the Hilton’s rooftop bar. The view over the sea at sunset is quite sublime, though – IMHO – the curving stretch of Beach Rd. glittering in the gloom of dusk is by far the more attractive view. Spent an hour and a half there, staring out at the city lights with a sea breeze in my face. Definitely a highlight of the trip so far. I head off to Sunee later in the night – which did not prove an auspicious beginning, unfortunately! Nice Boys was first, but its crowd is a *little* too rough around the edges for me. There are maybe 8 boys hanging around in their undies, with nary a customer in sight. I decide that I would rather not stay, and take off to Winner. This was around 10 p.m., but all I saw were two patrons seated outside. I’m assuming that the boys are all indoors with their patrons, but that was an assumption indeed. Inside, there’s no one on stage, but two small clusters of boys seated around, who can barely be bothered to get up. That’s it for me. I decide that Sunee is not happening tonight, and set off at a brisk stroll for Boyztown. First stop: Classic Boys, which I skipped last night. There is a clutch of boys in their undies, but no one catches my eye. I head off to Toy Boys, where there is a larger selection – 16 tonight, the papa tells me ruefully, when at their busiest there are something like 30 – but it’s pretty much the same line-up from last night. I buy a beer, then head to Dream Boys, where I chat a little with Arm and the mama. (@floridarob, you are completely right. Arm’s enthusiasm with a john dips significantly after the first encounter.) Nothing much is happening there, so I swing into X-Boys to take in the show, which was a surprisingly fun time! It was the right amount of farce for me, with certain acts an improbable mix of the erotic and the completely ludicrous – the standout here being the one where boys do pull-ups with buckets of paint (? – I think) tied to their erections. And then there’s the act where they play miniature golf with their er, flesh putters … The difference between bars that boast shows, and those without, is stark. Like BBB last night, XB is packed out this evening. There are a couple of lookers in their roster, but those guys get called to other tables pretty quickly, so I head back to Dream. I’m very, very keen on a boy named Dao, who apparently has been at the bar less than a week, but he seems shy, with limited English skills. For some reason, he’s reluctant to be offed this evening. My initial guess is that he’s none too fond of me, but he communicates through the mama that he’s free the following night, and even asks me before I leave what time I’m dropping in tomorrow for him, so perhaps I’m not a complete ogre. Mama recommends another boy, Boy. Yes, that is indeed his real name.. Boy has a great smile, so I’m won over. “Straight, but can smoke”, I’m told. We go out for supper at the all-night Thai-Chinese place next door, where one can get braised duck at 1.30 am in the morning!! Praise be to the gods. Boy hails from a town in the south of Laos, and has been working in Pattaya for about a year, or slightly less than. Back at the hotel, the purported straightness of these boys is once again, I find, belied by their reaction to another male body in bed. After he leaves, I sit on the balcony and have a puff and listen to one of my favourite tunes, Carole King's "It's Too Late", and think about ex-lovers, and good times and bad. Tonight, I’m off to see Dao. Wish me luck, folks.

I had arranged my airbnb from day 2, so in the morning I head out to go meet the host and pickup my keys. The room is ok I guess, but I’m starting to wonder who got the idea of misleading sizes in their photos first, grindr or Airbnb. Not to worry, it has a bed, a washing machine and a friendly security guard at the front. My second arrangement for the day was due to catch his flight from hometown into BKK that afternoon, he is a non-mb in the traditional sense and someone I’ve known for a couple of years now. The expectation from him is generally gifts in exchange for BFE. He stayed with me for about a week and well, I guess his actual boyfriend in farangland may have caught on (to me or one of the others he runs off with) because there was some significant mood change and not much action after day 2 after some private phone calls happened. I got the real BFE from then on, no sex just me buying dinner every night. As the arrangement had stopped meeting my expectations the gifts stopped. I did of course still enjoy this time with him, we did a bit of restaurant hopping and markets and things, nothing too exciting or noteworthy but always nice to have pleasant company and a translator with a cute smile. Eventually after his planned trip is over, I get him back to BKK airport and he’s on a flight back to farangland to live happily ever after with visa sponsor #1. Off to the Apple store to get a replacement airpod, 2500 baht and a few minutes of dodging tables of people touching the new colour ‘same same but different’ phone and I’m out of there into torrential downpours. Oh, this is the rainy season I’ve heard so much about. I’m not one to wade through floodwaters so I spent the night inside wondering what could have been if I decided to outbid the farangland bf, not at the very start of my trip was my conclusion. I should wait at least 2 weeks before I fall in love with ‘definitely not’ a moneyboy again. I need a good cleanse from all this relationship drama being near me, so I’m off to Pattaya to indulge in some long cigarettes, survey the financial market for investments and see what falls in my lap. Next update sometime soon

still has enough of them to keep me occupied and my wallet emptied for couple weeks every year ( 7 weeks, 3 trips so far in 2023 )

in Pattaya you may find some in BoyzBoyBoyz bar in Boyztown. In Bangkok don't forget about Moonlight and Jupiter, not just Tawan. No idea about other places you mentioned, others may say something but I'd say if you want pyramids , go to Egypt or Mexico, not Turkmenistan. You interested in churches, go to Europe, Ethiopia or Latin America , not Laos or Saudi Arabia. You like muscles , stay in Bangkok and forget about Hat Yai or Hua Hin.