Alexx

I second Kasikorn Bank, I've been happy with them for more than 10 years as well. Same with Bangkok Bank, but if you choose them, do make sure that you get their Visa debit card, not the UnionPay one they like to flog nowadays. Personally, I like Kasikorn Bank's cyber banking and app better between these two banks, but Bangkok Bank has other advantages (ACH transfers from US bank accounts, for example) that might or might not be relevant in your case.

Nice to read that you live in Berkeley, ggobkk, I lived there for 5 years about 15 years ago and it was a great time. I enjoy reading your Thailand reports, please keep them coming.

If I would have to guess, the owner might well be gay himself?!

From my experience with road trips, it's all about the "crew". Where you end up traveling is of secondary concern (within reason - there are beautiful spots all over Thailand), and it's often the unexpected discoveries along the way that make a trip memorable.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner... I like the name.

You are actually right in a way, it helps keeping the navy in line, which in turn promotes the unity of Thailand's armed forces. Unfortunately they don't have any external enemy to unite against, so...

Well at least in Thailand you get scammed with a smile. That alone beats other countries.

That's not my line of work, I would never even contemplate owning a bar. My comment was related to your attitude, not your knowledge. I have no problem admitting that you are very knowledgeable as far as the boy bar business is concerned. HeHe.

I remember that there were some rumors about freelancers fishing for customers at Babylon back in my early days in Bangkok. They would approach likely candidates, get acquainted and then attempt to turn it into a long-time. I'd guess that has never been very common, because of having to pay the entrance fee in advance and the risk of wasting that money, plus time. DJ Station, in comparison, has a lower entrance fee and drunk marks to prey on.

I don't think banning smoking would be a bad thing, I just don't think it will happen. Not that many laws in Thailand are actually being enforced consistently, and if that would change at some point, I just don't think that the powers that be would start with the smoking ban. Drunk driving is a good example for insufficient law enforcement; just look at how all the crackdowns in Thailand so far have failed miserably. MADD wouldn't work in Thailand, there's simply no sustained activism in that sense. Persistence would be key to success.

I just hope the Chinese won't laugh themselves to death, seeing the shocking state of the Thai military equipment: The lone aircraft carrier that doesn't carry any aircraft, helicopters that fall out of the sky way too often, fighter jets long banished to museums in other countries. And that's just what I remember!

Does that number include your own dick? Or is a threesome okay?

Assuming that steveboy's friends are low income Thais, I actually believe him that they (or at least some of them) might see going to Starbucks as something like a status symbol - well worth posting on Facebook etc.

I'll say it again, just get a room, you two!

That's like asking the Pope why he's praying Ave Marias. You are talking to His Majesty The King of Negativity, after all.

It's a bit funny that people point out that smoking in bars is illegal. It sure is, yes, just like many other things. If you ever go to any bar or nightclub where almost exclusively Thais hang out, you are in for a shock: There will be smoking. There will be underage drinking. And all the drunks won't think twice about driving/riding into the night once they're done... That's at least three illegalities right there. Please don't call for law enforcement, that's nonsensical considering the context. The only thing that can lead to a change is making that particular bar owner realize that he's better off not allowing his guests to smoke. If he sees that differently, just go elsewhere. (I don't smoke, for the record.)

I think the beauty when you live in Bangkok is that you don't have to limit yourself to any specific areas. Cheap drinks are available all over the city, so once you've made friends with some guys from a particular area, you just visit their favorite hangouts with them. Given the size of Bangkok, that never gets boring, or at least it hasn't gotten boring for me, having done that for more than 10 years. As for the sex, free or otherwise, some of my encounters are the result of such a night out and others are arranged using the apps (Hornet, Grindr and GayRomeo in my case). For me that's fun, I like the chase and shooting fish in a barrel really isn't my style.

steveboy, why don't you just post some pics of yours, I'm sure some members will volunteer to offer an appraisal of your looks compared with those of abang1961. You can tell us A LOT about your pretty face, but a picture says more than 1000 words...

I've spent quite some time in Vietnam recently (mostly in HCMC) and my experiences there have been great. Like firecat69, I also haven't perceived any lack of bottoms in Vietnam, so it really seems to be quite an oddity that so many of those Vietnamese who come to work at Bangkok boy bars, of all places, are tops only. I think paulsf's explanation makes sense, but still I'd expect the word to spread among gay/bottom Vietnamese boys as well. Strange.

"If you are sick of Twilight and live here". Interesting statement. How many people living in Bangkok actually rely on Soi Twilight for their sexual encounters? Not too many, I would hope?! Unless you are Quasimodo's twin brother or have zero social skills, there are just so many other/better options. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always assumed Soi Twilight is for tourists in the first place.

Sweet Jesus deary me...

Do share your thoughts with us!

Happy Valentine's Day to you, too.

Thanks for the update, pong, I had kind of hoped Be High would only be closed temporarily, but apparently that's not the case. I've never been a fan of the karaoke bars there, so I guess I don't need to bother to return.

But, but! They are like black and white!