Londoner

There have been times on the Jomtien- Pattaya bus in the early evening when P and I have been the only non-Russians . All family groups. However, a guy I know who worked at Serene in Boyztown once told me that the big money-making time was in the early hours of the morning and the high-spending punters were young Russians.

I must have stayed in at least thirty hotels with my Teerak over the years, including non-Thai ones. Hotels of different "classes" and only a couple of them gay. I've been trying to think of any bad experiences at breakfast and I honestly cannot think of even one. Of course, P is now in his forties, and this undoubtedly makes a difference in that we no longer look like a punter-barboy duo. The only time I recall our feeling uncomfortable was on an island trip in Krabi. The offending couple weren't German but Australian.....which surprised us because Old Daddy's countrymen and women are usually so friendly towards us. On that occasion it was an elderly Italian couple on the boat who made it clear that they supported us.

Things have certainly changed since I was playing the scene. For the worse. it makes me wonder why punters don't stick with the apps so that all the cash goes direct to the guys?

Here's thought for those of you who maintain a team of favourites.... In 2003, I was a regular bar-goer and , by accident rather than design, found myself in a routine in which my "offs" usually involved three guys whom I trusted. And of course, liked. Of the three, over a period of four or so visits, one of them became "number one" and the others only occasional recipients of my largesse. By my March trip of 2004, I found myself unwillingly, hesitantly and even annoyingly, falling in...well, you know. And to continue with yet another cliche, the rest is history, or at least my history. And don't any one dare to suggest that I was operating a test run to see see who was the winner in some sort of competition: I was bewitched. So, all of you, beware. You may end-up with a changed life you weren't expecting or wanting. In other words, it may even be safer to choose a newbie every night.

Since 1998 I (and later we) have been spending a period in BKK before moving onward. After all, it's a superb transport hub for the whole region. However, for the last visit in July we decided, independently but with more confidence on the part of P, that our Bangkok trips are over unless we require the airport. I'm a little sad; the BKK-Surawong ride was always thrilling , much more so than the one to Pattaya. And the crowds, the smells, the noise, the sultry atmosphere likewise. However, we'd both decided, as age take its toll, that the ease and comfort of staying in Jomtien at a hotel where we were feted as regulars was just more suited to our current needs. These are simple; relaxation, a variety of good restaurants at exceptional prices, the proximity of a gay scene and its many friendly guys throughout the day and a half-decent beach. I've just remembered that the closure of Babylon was perhaps the beginning of my disenchantment with BKK.

Forgive me; I fully understand that some posters prefer Bolt et al....but can they explain exactly what is wrong with the the BKK public taxis? Comfort? cost?

As I've said numerous times, here and elsewhere, I walk out of BKK with a song in my heart , where thirty or so taxis await me, and only on one occasion in the last ten trips- the first one after Covid- have I found a queue. No emails. No phone calls. No anxious waits to see if the driver is stuck in traffic. I know others disagree but after eighty trips (or more) from DMK and BKK, I just can't see the point of altering my routine.

It is good manners to buy a drink for him, even if you choose not to pursue interest. He is a worker; time not on the podium is time and possibly money, lost. It is a rather different matter if a pushy mamasam imposes a guy on you. Or two, as once happened to me in Bangkok. However, on that occasion I was such a softie that I did give the guys tips, surmising that the mamasan may have been concerned that they weren't very popular and needed a helping hand. However, being a softie costs so beware! It's really a case of "up to you."

Yes, please do. The "fresh" views of a newbie would fascinate me.

A difficult subject. It wasn't an issue for me when I was a newbie but it became one over the years, not because of the physical reactions of the two of us but due to my emotional responses to what was happening, both during and after the event. This maybe because I'd lived "straight" until my forty-fifth year and from then onwards, ninety percent plus of my gay sexual life was in Thailand, with mbs. I'm not a rarity in this regard; many of the falang guys I met in Pattaya in the late 90s were the same as me in in age, background and experiences. The transition from a repressed sexuality to the freedom and enjoyment of expression was wonderful. And complex. In those days, the years before I met my partner, I looked for, perhaps even needed, an element of reciprocity, even if at some level I accepted that it all was part of the game. My partner admitting to not being gay would have complicated this. I knew it was an illusion and that truth was often concealed. But it was what I required emotionally. Younger gay men may not always remember the struggles my generation went through when what we most deeply desired was declared both illegal and wicked and that disclosure would have resulted in a term in prison and ended my career. In some respects, we remain marked by this even in our joyful liberation, a liberation for which I shall always remain grateful to Thailand. And its mbs.

As usual, when the issue of the less touristy place in Thailand that deserve to be explored is raised here, I sing the praises of Chiang Rai and its environs. This includes the Mekong area and Chiang Saen with its beautiful Lana temple (a very spiritual place), the border town of Mai Sai, an individual choice but I always find border towns interesting, and Mae Salong, a village in the mountains where the remnants of the defeated Chinese Nationalist army , or rather their descendents, still live. Unique, literally so. And a magnificent, if sometimes hair-raising drive.

I'm a little surprised by this. When we were last there, pre-Covid so things may have changed, we were irritated by the cost of travelling a couple of kms in Patong on one of those little buses. 200 bht a time? or is my memory misleading me? On the other hand, our taxi fare to and from the airport I recall was better value than that from Bkk to Pattaya. In general terms I agree that Phuket is more expensive than Pattaya but we have found good prices at hotels in the low season. There seems to be a bigger hike for the high season than in Pattaya.... the place we stayed in last time was excellent but way beyond our budget had we gone there later in the year.

Does it still provide personal "butlers" to guests? And what about the bell-boys? Many years ago, I saw a photo of the them all standing in a line, giggling with each other charmingly. I have to say that it was the most beautiful photo I've ever seen in a travel magazine. I bet they have some stories to tell....

Mea Culpa! My memory played me false when I posted about Good Boys. Thanks for the corrections. There was indeed a very short-lived bar in that vicinity whose hosts dressed as I described- and I have a story to tell about it but at the moment am too red-faced to do so. Yes, I now remember the "mechanics" of good Boys , but only from a distance. I remember their being very friendly as I passed but were not "my type" so I didn't enter the bar. Once again, thanks for the correction.

I recall that place... when it opened, I gave it a try. Not my scene, sadly- not the way I was brought-up! But what I remember most was the dress -code; weren't all the guys dressed in white shirts, ties and black, formal trousers? The place didn't last long. By the way, could the title of this thread be changed? Everytime I open it I think someone is looking to find a new owner for his friendly dog. And soi dogs are in the news in Pattaya at the moment , are they not?

Flooding is a problem in the north at the moment. Chiang Rai has been badly hit- some may have heard about the guy in the cave rescue being rescued again, this time from the roof of his home- and people have been killed by mud-slides in CM. Not a good time to visit, IMHO.

In my salad days (my fifties) my Thailand day was from 10.00am until 0100. Now it is from 0700 until 2100. O tempores, o mores. While I miss the excitement of those late nights, I enjoy getting-up early to enjoy the cool, fresh air from the sea as I do my "constitutional" along Jomtien Beach. And I'm by no means alone; plenty of guys of my age do the same. And joggers too, mainly young women. I sometimes marvel as to how accommodating Pattaya and Jomtien have been to my ageing process. I loved those nights of bars and sanuk but what I do now gives me enormous satisfaction.

I recall my inability to complete the Thailand Pass without the help of a neighbour....yes, I'm that incompetent on these d**n machines. And also that , two days after receiving my "welcome to Thailand" email, the procedure was dropped. Now, I have to face the angst of another fight with my computer or, alternatively, another humiliating "please help the old guy next door" request to my neighbour. No chance of a waiver for those of us of a certain age, I suppose? After all, I've been supporting the Thai economy for twenty five years.

Any newbie to Thailand should be aware that hiv is still a serious issue and that, despite improved medication resulting in it not being a death sentence, victims can be assured of a lifetime of tablets and monthly check-ups. And fear. Add to this the social stigma, particularly in the provinces. You should assume that any commercial or "just for fun" partner is hiv+ and act accordingly. A young guy like the poster has decades of fun (and even perhaps a rewarding relationship) ahead of him; a bad decision, fuelled by drink drugs or desire, can change all that. So he should bring his own condoms and lube and not have unprotected sex, including oral. That issue has been thoroughly discussed on this forum so he should check the archives. And, finally, ensure that he is not unwittingly infecting his partners.

Congestion? I've used it six times since Covid ended, arriving at a busy time (1600 or so) and I've never had more than three people in front of me.

Yes...."same same"!

Anyone speak Thinglish with his boyfriend? P hates me speaking Thai. And it has to be admitted that I'm pretty bad at it when I try. In fact, I no longer dare to. However, over the years we have developed our own version of Thinglish. The embarrassing thing is I that when I arrive back home, I find myself still speaking it!

"Elderly....?" Thank heavens for that! You youngsters don't need it as much as we do!

If we are to pursue this topic, it would be amusing to note other Thai words or derivatives which falang visitors discover early on in their associations with Thailand. Here's a few; Mamasan, khatoey, aroi-na, baht-bus, check-bin, bir-sing, mau. And sawatdee-khrap, of course.

I recommend "Thai for Gay Tourists" by Saksit Pakdeesiam (Paiboon Publishing). A few Thai Gay phrases will impress the average go go dancer enormously. Some may be out of date now....such things have a limited shelf-life. And I'm told that some are not for polite society. "Ching-chong" is the term that a little boy would use when speaking to Mama. Our "pee" as Colmx points out. Harmless.