Londoner

I too have been wondering why twinks are paid, on average, less than muscle-guys. Is it something to do with age? And is it the assumption that twinks are bottoms and muscle-guys tops?

Look both ways, even in one-way roads like Pattaya Second Road. I nearly met my maker when a powerful, falang -driven motorbike sped out of a soi, towards the traffic, when I was crossing over to Big C.

There are a number of karaoke bars in Pattaya and Bangkok ( and perhaps elsewhere) where Thai guys entertain Thai ladies and are available for offs. Apparently, according to the mamasan of one of these bars whom I know, the guys are, on average, better-looking than the ones we meet. I've seen the photos; stunning. Prices are similar to those of Bangkok bars. The clientele tend to be local women with under-performing husbands, or partners who work abroad. The mamasan makes a good living.

Where did you buy them? (Not War and Peace).

I've taken my boyfriend to Bali and Laos on a number of occasions. No problems. I wouldn't take him anywhere where he felt uncomfortable. I wrote this before seeing a447's post-we must have been posting simultaneously- and he is absolutely correct; the feelings of our partners are paramount.

Uranus is correct. It is a fact of life across the world that it is the poor who are driven to-or choose- prostitution. The rest of us have more choices. And Isaan has been one of the most deprived areas in Thailand, hence its support for Thaksin . His premiership was the first time that a Thai government had showed any concern for the poor and their lives improved economically. Birth control helped too!

In Thailand, only when I was surrounded by a snarling pack of dogs in an expensive area of Chiang Mai. And I'm a dog-lover, forever being reprimanded by my boyfriend for being friendly to stray mutts....something I now do to tease him but shouldn't. Elsewhere, I was frightened when I strayed into West Kingston, Jamaica in 1973, when the Army and the Police were at loggerheads and Manley's newly -elected left-wing government was being undermined, violently, by the CIA. The only times I'm frightened in Palestine is when those crazy armed settlers who believe that God gave them authority over all of us swagger by. The silly callow soldiers can be a nuisance when they point rifles at you but being white is a good defence. The Border Police are nasty and even more ideological and they graciously gave me a a taste of tear-gas when they were attacking some ten year-olds.

The odd thing is that, in the late 90s when I started staying in BT, there were more bars, often packed with customers and dancers and no legally-enforced closing times and yet the noise was contained within the premises, at least to a large extent. At any rate, it was not likely to cause sleep disturbance. Then came the era of open bars where there was no protection from the noise within. And open-air karaoke. And (for a period) all-night parties for a handful of friends. The bars of BT have, until recently, catered for those who want to see go go dancers and watch a show but also for those of us who enjoy sitting in a bar and chatting with boyfriends or perhaps with hosts or friends, enjoying a drink and soaking up the atmosphere. I resent the intrusions of street music into both my sleeping-patterns and my evenings with my boyfriend. And, as previously noted, if LCR is as disruptive as feared by other establishments, we shall move. I know that the possibility of loss of custom is a worry for other businesses in the soi.

Twenty plus years of staying at Ambiance will come to end after (or during) my next visit in January if LCR's new shows are as disruptive as seems likely. My boyfriend and I retire long before 0200 and so we will have no alternative.

And who will Le Cafe's customers be? How many of the readers of this site want to hear deafening music like this at 0200....and yes, we are told the bar won't close until then. Meanwhile, huge amounts are being spent on a refurbishment at Ambiance. The hotel (like BBB and LCR) is now Chinese owned. Is the projected market Chinese? and do they want hip-hop at 0200? Who does? Apparently, BBB staff enjoy loud music but since when have the preferences of the staff out-weighed those of the punters? Funnyboys, Prisma and Oscars have all gone- Prisma is to be part of the new, improved Ambiance. It looks as if Boyztown will no longer be gay....but who will replace us?

I'm with Paborn regarding discussion of prices. Negotiating prior to the event is a relatively recent development, perhaps encouraged by the apps. It was not expected in my bar-offing days (that is, up to about 2009) and was considered bad-form by the guys. In all those years (from 1995) I was never expected to negotiate and money was never discussed. I can understand why.

The placing of huge loudspeakers on the corner, facing Panorama and Cupidol, was a disgrace. They are not for punters but for BBB staff and they make conversation in Panorama impossible. The noise even disturbs the top floors of Ambiance. Meanwhile, the new Cafe Royal was warming-up its own contributions to noise pollution when I was In Boyztown three weeks ago. Deafening. In this case, the noise is aimed at those of us wishing to have drink and chat on the Ambiance terrace. The word is that Boyztown managements are concerned that the the selfishness of one or two venues will drive away business. What's left of it.

I used to like Rice Queen Diaries. It suddenly disappeared.

If we choose to visit a country like Thailand, where most people are much poorer than us, and to benefit from the cheap hotel and restaurant prices, not to mention the sexual opportunities offered, we should accept that some people will try their luck. There are circumstances in which such attempts are not only understandable but laudable. A son/daughter trying to help impoverished parents for example. I'm not one of those who claim that we are exploiters; we often give more than we take. Nevertheless, we are in the privileged position of having a choice- to go or not to go, to buy or not to buy- while some of the people whom we meet are living from day to day and often have responsibilities at home which are exacting and even distressing. I maintain -as I said earlier- that for the most part, their response to us is remarkably graceful. If sometimes they push the boundaries, I for one am prepared to grin and bear it. And to choose (there's that word again) whether to acquiesce.

I find it extraordinary that these guys don't harass us for more money after a 1000 bht encounter. Even if they have neither our email addresses, nor our phone numbers, they could still pursue us via hornet or Romeo. It would be annoying for us, and some may be tempted to give in. Yet, in twenty years, this has happened to me only once. Amazing Thailand, amazing Thais. And yes, I did give in on that occasion and was paid back royally on my next visit. Not in baht, you understand......

Thanks.

Would you explain how to do it , please? Assume that your instructions are for a six-year old and I may understand them.

Me too, Paborn. I rely on my boyfriend. You can access the "Classic. Planet Romeo site" (note the full-stop) where you live and choose Pattaya as your place of interest. The "classic" will give you some indication of likely friends in Pattaya. The more usual Planet Romeo (ie the app one) identifies your present location so it has to be set up when you are there; the same goes for hornet.

Not much fun when firing at Redshirt protesters with whom they went to school.

Give Babylon another chance. The low season is more productive for falangs since there are fewer of us around. Even then, it varies from day to day. I fear that your age- infinitely preferable to mine though it is- suggests that the saunas popular with young Thais may not answer your needs.

Correct; that's why I went to Palestine for the first time in 2004 - to see for myself. It was a traumatic experience, i was frequently angry and often tearful at the suffering I witnessed ... and it changed my life. In the words of John Ruskin;"We did not travel for adventure, nor for company, but to see with own eye and to measure with our hearts."

"The Dark Ages" through which Muslims are supposed to be going have been imposed by our governments. The colonisation of the 20th century, culminating in that of Palestine 1948, the support for vicious autocrats and their oil, humanitarian interventions (sic) have resulted in blow-back. We call it terrorism and fight it with...well, our own terror. As ye sow, so shall ye reap. I tend to think that, so far, we've got off rather lightly compared to the mayhem and despair we've brought to the Islamic world..

The guys are in a difficult situation. If they are too forward, they can annoy some of us. Older readers may recall the 1990s gay guide "The Men of Thailand." The writer always stipulated in which Bangkok bars the guys approached and vice versa. It seemed that in the more Thai orientated places (often in Saphan Kwai), they didn't, while in Boyztown and so on they did. Nowadays, I enjoy a drink in the early evening while my boyfriend spends his usual two hours showering and getting ready for dinner (an exaggeration...it's only one) and most assuredly don't want contact in the bars other than a smile and a sawatdee khrap. Twenty plus years ago, as a shy newbie looking for company, I welcomed it.

I overlooked the latest comments debunking this story but I shall let my response stand. For heaven's sake, have you seen the behaviour of my countrymen in Soi 6? I've seen plenty of instances of bad behaviour in Boyztown and Sunee; are the Britons and Germans responsible held to be typical of their countries or ethnicity? Any other examples of "Arab" misbehaviour in the area? Or was this example interesting because there are none? And now we have yet another reference to the Sunee motorcyclists, an issue which encouraged a barrage of racist comments on another forum a few months ago. You may recall that this included sick jokes about razor wire across the soi and other hate-filled posts. I'm sorry to say that much of this racism was posted by Americans but I know them to be atypical of their countrymen in Thailand. And I've met plenty. Just as I believe that this Arab to be atypical. As are the drunken British louts in Soi 6.

Sun Bar was certainly busy two weeks back. If only Boyztown had been a week later.