DivineMadman

I think that's the price for the Moonlight superstar models. More normal BKK prices are 2000 s/t. I don't know the price for Jupiter or Tawan guys. They might meet your muscle test. It's all a question of taste. There are guys that I think could fall into the "muscular model" category at some of the regular bars (not-Moonlight or Jupiter) that you might think of as mere twunks not worth your time. LOLs Also just note that there are some guys that I think are muscular model-y types at VClub 7 massage over on Soi Ari 4 (same building as Chakran sauna). VCK And Prince on Suan Phlu 6. Prince Of course there are many other massage spots (My Hero, etc., blah blah), but for first visit those have the most guys that might possibly meet your objectives. Super high season they might have 50-60 guys each. [edit to add - also Arena, but I think more muscle but not model-types.] We're getting into crazy busy season in BKK so you might even consider booking your moonlight dream model ahead of time. I would hate to think you got to BKK and found them all fully-booked. (That's not normally advice I would give, but it's really going to be busy from 26-Jan 3.

Yayyy!! I'm not sure it's "most," but it's certainly many. Depending on the bar and nationality, it might be most, it might not. It's an easy no-worries question to ask a mamasan or the guy. [As to how straight is straight, who knows?]. And, as always, in any commercial transaction, for sex or otherwise, keep in mind that sometimes (not always, not never) you might get the answer they think you want rather than the truth (whatever that may be). Right now circumstances are that a lot of the guys from VN are "straight" because a lot hail from the same region in VN, and word is out that there's good money to be had even if you're straight but willing, so non-scientifically my sense is that "most" of the VN guys are straight. But I know for a fact, not all are. Even some of the "straight top only" guys might show more, shall we say, flexibility, in the privacy of the room depending any number of a variety of factors, including you, how well they know you (i.e., how many times together), how you act, your reputation (if you have one), etc. Obviously it would be terrible advice to suggest that you count on that happening, but it does happen. In Bangkok it depends on the hotel. The more high-end hotels they won't look and don't want to know who you're bringing through the lobby (unless you're being loud drunk or similarly silly), so you may proceed with confidence. Other hotels - Tarntawan as noted in the trip reports - have a practice of taking ID's and calling up to the room to make sure everything is ok. I haven't thought about it a lot, but I always assumed that the take-ID-&-call places were more about personal security (no physical harm), but, as I said, not something I've thought about or even worry about. But the reports of theft from guys working in gogo bars are rare. Of course common sense rules apply and use the room safe, keep your wallet with you or secure, etc. If you skim the recent posts and trip reports you'll see that, at least in BKK, it is quite common to go the bars with old friends or new friends from the forum. Up to you. It can be a lot of fun to go with a friend or two. Highly recommended.

yes. or built atop/around the current conveyor belt system down in the belly of the beast. It's a customs screening and not security - so I guess maybe the security screenings and related computer ai systems aren't necessarily designed to catch the same things? I don't know. But the new screening of incoming bags is meant to replace the current set up where on the way out through customs agents pick people to have send their bags through the machines.

The plan - as reported in the press - is that the screening happens before the luggage carousels. This is already done in the U.S. for flights from some countries/regions.

Also Kika on Soi Convent.

I think there are some studies out there that support the conclusion that bar and club patrons actually drink more when the music is louder. Unfortunate but true. So I wouldn't expect any changes. (You can google "why is music so loud in bars.") For the beer bars, some forum posters who have hung out with me can confirm that I never hesitate to ask the bars to take the music down a notch, and in my experience the bars always comply, at least for a while until a new bartender or manager comes in and kicks up the music, but then all it takes is a polite request and problem solved (again). It might help that I'm a bit of regular and get along well with the staff. The goal is a bit of compromise - the bars want and deserve the high energy "vibe" so I would never expect the volume to be turned all the way down. Just not morlam loud. If I'm going to a gogo bar or morlam or nightclub, I always bring ear plugs. You can get so-called "high fidelity" earplugs that are a bit better than just the foam plugs, but I'm not sure they're worth it.

Actually, I didn't make a generalization about the membership. I made an observation about a subset. There's a difference. If you want to quibble about the numbers, that's fine, but I really think the effort should be in condemning the hate speech instead of mischaracterizing my comment.

I think the better translation of Mitr (มิตร) is "friend," not friendship. Hence the political party name "Three Friends" not "Three Friendship." Also, just in case, I double checked the trusty Fundamentals of The Thai Language and they give the definition "friend." And for the non-Thai readers, ignore the "r". I'll admit I'm a bit speechless at the stuff about 99% of the Chula students are Chinese because apparently it's unique for Thai people to want to study? WTF. So, what I did was I spent a couple of minutes to look into this. Times Higher Education reports the number of international students is 4%. U.S. News and World Reports reports about 3.5% international. Now maybe you mean mixed Chinese-Thai heritage, but I call bullshit on that being 99% also. If you want to make a hateful generalizations about Thai people then there are lots of people on this board who will join in with you, but don't hide behind nonsense pretend "facts." Chula gave a long-term lease to the developers of the project. Chula did not do the actual development.

yes

Good luck. There are no wrong decisions....Fun to be had everywhere.

Yes it's easy to find guys off the apps. Lots of young gay travelers and locals will go to stay and party around Khao San, so you don't have to go to Silom if you don't want to. It's a big gay metropolitan city and you can find guys all over. And they can find you. If you do want to go to Silom then DJ Station of G (former GOD) is fine, but I thought you had to be 20 to get into the clubs. Don't let the Silom-centric people - who I think are probably older - dissuade you from hanging out anywhere you want to. Khao San is a favored spot for the backpackers for a reason. Enjoy it. I don't think Khao San is seriously called "Lo-So" (and actually that's not really a term that's used - I think some guys are yanking somebody's chain). If someone is going to make an observation about "Lo-So," it's about true lower class people, maybe migrant, poor, etc., not the types of people hanging out on Khao San. But again, I think it's not seriously used in conversation. It's touristy and maybe bar guys from some countries might not like to hang out there, so they're talking smack about it, but it absolutely is a place where younger Thais will go to party with westerners. (And westerners are not Lo-So by any mean). It's not the most popular place for gay thais, but numbers are in your favor.

This season's first Symphony In The Park concert will be Sunday, 15 December 2019 at Chula Centenary Park (BKK). Starting time is roughly 5:30. (In my experience the concerts do not start on time.). Most people bring a blanket or cloth and sit on the grass and make a festive evening of it all. Performances do get cancelled and rescheduled occasionally, so always best to check the RBSO site and Facebook for the latest. RBSO RBSO Facebook The current schedule of performances is: Sunday, 15 / 22 December 2019 Sunday, 12 / 19 / 26 January 2020 Sunday, 2 / 9 / 16 February 2020 Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, 5.30 PM. onwards Free Admission

You might be pleasantly surprised. Over the past year or two there has been a concerted nationwide campaign to clean up, with very active royal patronage. Regular monthly clean up community-wide campaigns and social media "shaming" of problem spots. Certainly it's not perfect, but definitely an improvement.

I also agree but I don't think it's limited to Thai guys. Young males everywhere are more - shall we say "reckless" - than older males. I think the science types will even say that adult male brains don't fully mature until age 25, and tend to process things in the part of the brain that deals with emotions, rather than the "rational" part that adults might use for the same thing. Personally, I think it makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. You want the young men to be wild and fearless and go fight the lions and go raid the neighboring village. Maybe, just maybe, us rational brain adults can do a nice thing for the young reckless youths and keep this in mind.

I don’t think it is free for visitors (non-residents).

If any of us posts here, then it seems to me comments - negative, positive, relevant, irrelevant, etc. - are fair game. Same for comments on the comments, and so on. Freedom of expression is great, but it cuts each and every way. Nothing wrong with a little argie bargie.

Personally, I don’t think we need to worry about being gentle with people who decide to post intimate details of their paid sexual encounters, especially when the poster is shrouded in anonymity and the sex worker is identified (even more so with photo). Criticizing or commenting on how much someone has paid or tipped been part of the rough-and-tumble of this board for a very, very, very long time. I don’t think we need a sudden “Snowflake Protection Act” now. Indeed, I think some people post the info knowing quite well it might stir things up a bit. I think Scooby used to make the fair point that if you can’t take negative comments, maybe you shouldn’t be posting. (I think he might have been more definitive.) This is no longer the Age of Scooby, but it’s still a valid point. If the OP had taken the time to peruse prior trip reports, then he would have noticed that it has been very very very unusual indeed to post pictures together with names and such details. I believe the OP actually introduced himself to the board by saying he didn’t want to go through the old trip reports, hence his litany of questions, but if he had he might have noted what has been customary practice here. He chose his own path. So be it. There is a frequent contributor here who in person dismisses some member’s off’s or guys-of-interest as “too fat”, etc. So far I think that has pretty much always been met with a rolling of the eyes and a perhaps-awkward chuckle. So, it obviously does happen all the time. If we take Michael’s analogy of guys hanging out at a bar talking, if someone pulls out his phone and shows a photo of his latest conquest, of course the other guys can start making fun. “Oh my god, you fucked him. He looks [......]” What is queasy-making here is that the poster is anonymous, the photo is now inscribed in the inter-web, as are all the details. Personally, I don’t think it should be done. But if someone does it, everyone is free to comment as they see fit. And trip reports have been around a long long time. If fear of receiving comments keeps someone from posting, it’s the price we pay.

I'm pretty sure it works everywhere - only possible exceptions might be a particular country where the government tries to control all these sorts of things.

you can just turn off notifications from a particular person or group on Line, rather than mute the whole app

Some BKK spots For Isaan food - Somtum Der on Saladaeng. Also Northeast on the corner of Rama 4 and Soi Saladaeng 1. (Northeast is really a gem. Inexpensive, good and very authentic.) Happy Endings upstairs in the Woof Pack building on Soi Saladaeng 1 (near Rama 4) is a delightful "hip" Vietnamese inspired restaurant. Most everybody loves Plu just off Suan Phlu. Lovely spot with good thai/modernish food. If you just want pizza and jazz Smalls on Suan Phlu is nice. (Mostly straight crowd) I have always been pleasantly surprised by Fatboy Sushi on Soi Yammarat just off Saladaeng. It's small and gets very crowded so reservations recommended. Good sushi = expensive. (But depending on where you come from, might seem a bargain.) Kika on Soi Convent is just a regular gay bar that serves ok bar food. The crowd tends to be younger expats and the Thais who love them. Not so much a sexpat crowd, so be respectful, but a fun - if loud- place in my experience. Hokkaido Ramen is good and popular. Just across from Golden Cock. Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 1 You're on holiday. Just go to Brioche from Heaven just near the Chong Nonsi BTS station and indulge yourself. What happens in Bangkok stays in Bangkok. La Table de Tee just off Saladaeng is my high-end nominee. It's really good and very gay-friendly. (It's everybody-friendly.). Expensive.

I really don't think the forum needs to change in this regard.

Fire up google maps when you arrive and you can easily see which is faster. BTS/MRT/ARL is usually a bit more than an hour. Taxi no traffic is about 35 minutes. Even with traffic usually taxi is faster and easier.

In case anyone was worried, I just got a message from Prince and they are open for business as usual.

Answer yes. Both are true. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. Personally, I don't involve mamasans in any of my decisions, but I do make a point of trying to be nice to the mamasans (with the exception of a few at Lucky Boys who I just aggressively ignore). I would get a guy's attention and have him sit for a drink and then find out if he's right or not right for me. Waiters can also help get a guy's attention to sit with you, but I've usually found the guys very attentive and looking to me for a signal to come down. Repeat that process two or three times if necessary. Occasionally I suppose it's expensive because it might involve buying a few extra drinks and little thank-you-for-sitting-with-me tips, but I just don't ask a mamasan for a recommendation. Anyway, after a while at a bar I think you sort of know who you at least want to try to talk to without any input from anyone else. [Personally, and this is probably just me, I find it a bit off-putting and demeaning for all concerned when a mamasan scrambles around the bar to grab different guys to parade in front of a customer.] But to each his own, and I suppose if you are shy they can help. Mammasans try to insinuate themselves into the process because that's their job. No hard feelings any which way. Having said that, they can make the lives of the guys who work at the bar better (or worse). So, particularly if you want your guy to look good for his boss and maybe get a tad bit better treatment at a bar, it helps to cultivate a mammasan.

I just rant. Certainly not aimed at you. Feel free to ignore. Personally, I don't think any of us needs to say that each interaction with the guys is a pity party and you or I or anyone should throw money at the guys like some grand wealth redistribution plan. (Not that I am saying that is what you are saying you would do. ) There's dignity and respect in paying a fair price for services. Instead, the cautionary note is none of us should think that the guys will really just waste the money anyway, so cheapness is really justified. Sometimes I worry that some customers have almost a resentment towards the guys - maybe because they have to pay?? - and that resentment then leads to a pervasive thinking that the guys are [insert any one of a number of negative adjectives]. As to the stories - If someone starts telling me a sob story I just tune it out. That's why I say I think it takes time to get to know the guys and then it's just more natural to learn their stories.