ChrisUK

I have watched the film Hormones from 3 years ago, but didn't know of the existance of this series which seems to be a spin off from the film. Thanks to this post and having watched the first episode (set in a Bangkok High School) via Youtube, it would seem that this series is as enjoyable as the film was, with humour to help the serious topics raised. The episodes, including an introductory one can be seen with English subtitles (not perfect, but can be understood) via Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEcFxR2BsjDYG69r9di4tOw/videos?sort=da&view=0&flow=list&live_view=500

About five years ago, after hearing of many expats who had a SIM card from AIS/12Call that remained active for a full year, I enquired in Tukcom on Pattaya Tai for a similar card. I was presented with one that remains with me to this day. It was a Freedom card and sold in a pink box, although the card itself was green. I soon discovered that even topping up the card with just 50bt pushed the expiry date forward to one year from the date of topping up. About a year ago, a friend wanted the same so, while in Bangkok, we went around the MBK Center and looked for the pink coloured box while browsing all the phone stalls. We were successful and even had the one year ability confirmed by the stall holder. To confirm this, we got the assistant to install the card in my friend's phone and it soon indicated by text message that the validity was for one year from that date. I have checked out the AIS/12Call website and it gives no indication of the one year card, but I seem to remember not seeing it listed a few years ago either. I would suggest people browse the phone stalls while shopping and you might strike lucky. I spend up to six months in Thailand and six months in the UK, so I just ensure I have topped it up with just 100bt before I leave and it shows it will still be active for another year. The only other cautionary thing i do is switch it on about once a month and let it send me the adverts. Also, about once every three months I send a text message to a friend in Thailand to prove it's still working and that I am actively using it. The company obviously knows I'm in the UK when it send me their adverts as tell me how to activate the roaming feature, but I've never botherd with it, as most of my communications are by text. One of the side benefits of having a Thai bank account is the ability to top up your phone, not just at the ATM, but also over the internet while at home, which is what I did last trip to ensure I had enough credit to use the phone at the airport.

Many of the guys will dop them literally, if they think you are the slightest bit interested. The wrestling slips seem to be part of the range of costumes that rotates over several nights. Some of the new range are very seductive and even beat those of Krazy Dragon in my opinion. Most of the guys will give full access for a modest tip, which can lead to more if you have them sit with you for a drink. Tomorrow's (28th) Tarzan themed party will have them in loin cloths.

I'm so grateful to Kwok for starting this topic and to Rog and Koko for providing the informative links. It does all sound very interesting and has me on tenterhooks anticipating my next trip to Bangkok. Last year I was on my own, having finished acting as guide for a friend who was in Bangkok on a stopover, so was looking for something to enjoy as it was early evening. i wandered down Soi Twilight and thought that as I hadn't had a massage from the parlours in that street, I ought to give one a try. I stopped at one and read the flyer listing the different types and prices, but thought I wanted something special to try, so I asked if they did body to body massage, which I'd heard about, but never experienced. The reply was that only the manager knew how to do this and then was told the price for massage and tip for 60 minutes, which seemed a bit steep. Either business was slow, or he took pity on me as he suggested a price which was more to my liking. So off I was lead to a nice room with en suite and was showered for 10 minutes after disrobing, the masseur disrobing as well. After lying down I received what I expected, a body to body massage with oil for about 20 minutes, which made me feel I had made the right decision to experience a new type of massage. Then the masseur spent the next 20 minutes doing things to me I never expected, but I didn't complain as he asked at every stage if I was ok. I truly was ok and said so, leading to him pursuing more adventurously sensitive moves to the nether regions of my body. To say I was on cloud nine is no exaggeration. I had never experienced the like before. He was being truly intimate and I knew he was just a masseur I had never met before, but I didn't mind as I was confident he knew what he was doing and their was no pain, just wonderful feelings waving through my body and mind. Having read through this thread, I now realise I must have been receiving a combination of body to body and tantric massages, most probably the Fusion type as detailed in Rogie's link. http://www.tantricma...ssage-choices/ The happy ending was almost irrelevent, but most welcome, except that I knew that was the end, apart from being showered again. So grateful was I after this wondeful new experience that I decided to give him the original asking price of 1,500Bt, rather than the negotiated one. It was worth every Baht.

If I were in Thailand, I would be heading for the Countdown Concert at Bali Hi Pier on New Years Eve. It's a great event with 1000's of people, both young and young at heart celebrating the New Year. However, the next best thing is to at least experience the mood of the event over the internet as it's being shown on Channel 3 and streamed to the world for everyone to enjoy. The Pattaya Mail has the details here: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/pattaya-countdown-slams-booms-into-finale-saturday-9030?ref=pmci The concert is being shown from 10.00(or 10.30?)pm to 1.30am (Thai time), so if you're in Europe, we can watch Pattaya bringing in the New Year around teatime first before enjoying our own celebrations about 7 hours later. America will watch somewhat earlier and celebrate later. I'm not sure about Australia, so leave my Aussie friends to work it out themselves. You can watch Channel 3 on the internet here: http://www.tvthaionline.net/tvthai.php?view=tv/ch3.html ("link 2" works on my computer in the UK) or here: http://www.thaitvnow.com/thaitv-3.htm or just Google "Thai TV 3" for other options.

For those of us in farangland preparing to welcome the New Year in the West and want to see how our friends in Thailand are celebrating it in advance of us, we can see it online courtesy of TruelifeTV. It is showing from 10.30pm to 12.30am Thai time and can be seen on MCOT Ch9 at: http://tv2.truelife.com/tvonline/player/mcot MCOT Ch 9 usually shows it repeated during New Years Day in the afternoon, Thai time, for reliving the previous night's celebrations and fireworks. Happy New Year to everybody. ChrisUK

I went to Tukcom in Pattaya a few years ago and bought a 1-2-call PAYG SIM card, asking for one that was good for one year. They sold me a Freedom roaming SIM for 350Bt and inserted it in my phone. I then bought 100Bt top-up and asked them to enter it as well, which they did, then showed me the text message that came through showing the validity to be one year from that date. With that SIM, I can leave Thailand for up to one year, with just a small amount in credit, eg 100Bt top-up just before I leave and it would keep the phone active for a year from that point. A really useful feature is that when abroad, it still works and you can check that your balance is still valid and your phone is still active by calling the balance check number. I don't know what the card is called, other than it is a "Freedom" card. It is sold in a pink box and it cost about 50Bt more than a standard SIM card. A friend bought a similar one in MBK in Bangkok a couple of months ago, so they are still available.

Problem solved, thanks GT.

If my experience is anything to go by, I now have to log in to the site just to see the posts. If others have to do the same, I think most will not bother.

I couldn't agree more, Pattayamale. It was meeting several expats and long stay residents in Pattaya a few years ago when I was experimenting with the idea of retiring to Thailand that confirmed my desire to move there for at least half of every year. Many of them are genuinely welcoming to new visitors like I was at the time. They will also often act with compassion to help others should the need arise. It galls me to read on some forums the belittling of individuals in the community simply because they don't match the lofty ideals of those critical posters. If only they knew the considerate nature of many of those they criticse, they might think twice about their negative comments. I was once questioned about calling those who comprise the regular scene a "community", but the longer I associate with them the more I'm confirmed that it is a genuine caring community.

I was also informed by a waiter there tonight (Friday) that the bars would be open on Monday, 1st March.

I was informed yesterday by an experienced mamasan at a gogo bar that the bars will be closed on Sunday, 28th February for this Buddhist holiday.

I was not able to get a cash advance using my UK debit card to top up my new account at the branch of Kasikorn Bank on Pattaya Tai. I was simply told to use the ATM outside. I ended up doing a SWIFT transfer from my UK bank for a 20 pound fee. I can also confirm that the AEON machine in South Pattaya did the same thing to a friend as the OP describes.

Thanks to an expat friend who reads Thai, he informed me of the impending new channel lineup which was written solely in Thai in the programme guide. He informed me that the information on the changeover and what to do was in the news section of the TrueVisions English version of their website. The new lineup is shown here: http://www.truevisionstv.com/photo/download/newlineup_l.jpg Chris.

I have just posted a review with some pictures on Sawatdee Forum at the following link: http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...aza-t17197.html The weather and beach were too inviting yesterday (Sun 15th) to spend the afternoon cooped up in my loom composing it. Chris.