pong2

No-in ASEAN TH is by far the most expensive-not just in the usual price, but also ratio of MB vs free guys. But it has the ease and ample supply-in the cities concerned. If you translate the usual fees into US$ or €, TH is up to double its neighbors. (except Singy of course). I really liked this review of zsolec above-really agrees with my own experience-though a lot of it was quite some time ago by now. But then Indonesia has much more to offer as just Bali an Jakarta (dirty city). Cities like Yogyakarta, Solo and Malang on Java are /were very good for finding happy meets on the street-free or a few 1000 ( the local money rupiah has very low value, 1€ is now like 14/15k) and even more on Sumatera in some of its big cities )which however have nothing of interest to a normal tourist). But that was way before the apps and sites and I also speak the lingo fairly fluent. For me I travelled on the cheap like a bekpekker-not specifically aiming for the other goodies-but by then was always surprised at the ease and willingness of many guys you meet to step a little further.

Not even that-though it makes it a lot easier. (those refusing the vaccine can get in-with recent test results) and even that piece of paper to be filled in in airplane has gone

For best latest overview of #1: see blog of christianpfc.blogspot.com- he stayed in Camb till late dec.´21-escape for covid-hit Thailand. He is an avid budget traveller doing it on his own, so do not expect any hints about car/driver/guides etc.

Sorry-and not that its really much important, but I think the real oldest-granddad is S-g-t. THIS forum had another name untill a few years ago, when it was all merged with the guides and also the South-Americ section. There used to be quite a few forums dedicated to life in gay Thailand-the others have dropped down the line. One was -a long time ago- much more interesting and saucy-and it covers the whole world-but the Asean section is dead.

Expect these not-or only very exceptionally to be available @ shops where guys/girls sit outside. Best site for a few advertising: thaimassageboy.com. Most are in suburbia and thus aim Thai local clients. pre-covid many had guys from Laos/Burma/Cambodia Arena will always offer it-and also will have to deal/bargain. Which I do not like at all. In Thai such places (which effectively are thus simply male brothels in disguise) the tip is the tip. You can always, always choose the guy from tablet-or in person. But nowadays most such shops are by appointment-unannounced walk-ins are very rare. They may have extensive lists of guys-but most are only on call and may work for more as 1 place.

Just coming up to reading this-nice surprise, just page 1 now. So 2 tiny comments: 1.Thai do not walk, Burmese do -and will even suggest it ´to save the cost for taxi´ 2.its a well known fact from waiters/tresses that they remember the customer by what they order. In the tiny streetfood lookalike place (shack) where I usually went for lunch after a while they even kind of started to remember that tue=A, wed=B etc.-I did not dare to confuse them too much on that. But special requests are what they will remember most. I´ ll now just keep the rest for later-spread out the pleasure.

TMB=Thai Massage BOy is by now a very old site-from before everything went to that fb etc- and in the past was much better, as then there were so few other ways to promote these business. Its all up to the place-and the fee is not cheap, but varies as to how much you want to have on site (the workers yes/no and updating them all the time is quite costly-others only show the tariff). So-if the place pays up but does not care what is in (yes, there are some-more likely due to incompetence on how to do it) it remains, whereas others indeed do weekly or even more often updates. Even that they show guys will not mean this guy is always there-more and more its now by pre-arranged appointment-which implies that one has to know whom to ask for. Plus again: look say so little about what you hire them for, plus most of time in massage you lie on your front and wont even see it, just feel. But that was all from 2,4 yrs ago pre-covid, its Thailand so things will have changed much more.

There is simply NO universal pricing-even though that is indeed often the case in TH for other normal daily commodities-you never ask about that, as anyone knows. What probably happens is that a small club/band of guys who know one another have ever talked about it a bit and then follow that. Guys from a bar will get instructions before starting work from ´captain/ladyboy´. Or there may be some exaggerated hearsay from a guy who proudly pronounces he got x000, without anyone knowing or able to check if this was the case-or not. Also Many Thai simply cannot calculate-or at least not very well. They are trained-also in school-to memorize things and to re-produce it when asked in the same proper context-outside of it, they only produce a blank smile. I never even talk about it-but thats (was-not been since 2y3m now) in massageshops-they mostly set a MIN tip (which is always interpreted as The tip)

On the subject of size: its all very, very much relative. And its indeed relative to ´normal Thai/Asean size. IN massage shops there is nearly always a fairly ugly looking guy-most often a ´look kreung´=half child (pa western, ma Thai) and he is there for this one single reason; the size of. Have not been to PTY since many a year, but maybe it even works over there too-there must be many scores of such boys there. Sitting here a bit bored the vivid description (thanks all for the cooperative effort) does remind me on the happenings on low-slung bars like Golden Cock and/or Nature Boy and Super A in the dark/dingy/filthy subsois beyond the Tawan muscle bar in BKK

Seems there are still some 20 saunaś open+working (maybe not all daily) in greater BKK-at the top of this fenomenon it was 30+. But at least half of the 20 are way too far out in suburbia for you all. @orson; suggest also 39 Sapan kwai-BTS stop nearby. Discriminating farang (and any elder) pricing is also in the R3 group. in older blogs of der christian you can find more reviews-a lot on the 2 dirty/unkempt FAROSE- 1 in also SapanKwai (impossible to find without decent knowledge) and 1 way out in one of the 100+ subsois of RamKamHaeng (RailLInk stops-but not close by)=the common uni-area. Said to be favoured by the 1000s of foreign workers from ASEAN (think of Pinoy teachers, KHmer staff, etc.). All hit and more miss. Chris has given up on doing sauna in BKK-so did I long ago. THose in the provinces though can be much more enthralling though.

re ticket OUT: its in the TIM-that was once an overly thick ´manual´=loose leaf folder with all the ever changeing requirements that govts put on arrivals-most often also subdivided into a few 100 different categories. Its now of course all-electronic and will cost a whopping few 100 GBP/€ yearly to maintain it-any airline has to. Airlines do not decide this-in fact all that ground handling @ airports is done by a few 100 private enterprises, who all make up their own minds-and even on the very same comp. it may mean its different in LGW as it would be in BRU or PAR. Quite often the rules applied reflect those of the country one is in: hence OZ=Australia down yunda is famous for being ultra-strict. (f.e. an arriving prospective sea-man, even from India (Kerala has thousands of such guys) who is rostered to go on duty on a tanker from Southampton or Liverpool is exempt for it arriving UK. NOw for TH-land of blighty and always smiling; its NOT and+and but its OR: EITHer you have a valid visa OR you must be able to show (´ticket´=can easily be just a screen on fone) OUT. AND-as airlines cannot believe anyone would ever use any other means as flying in a plane: they insist on a plane booking. Though technically a train ticket from BKK to Penang would serve the purpose. Its widely known that THAI airw does never insist on seeing it. They know how their own country works. IF needed-many have been known to search for the cheapest AirAsia flite OUT -it will always have the 700THB tax in it-but they refund this less adm. fee. About ThaiPass; from other mainstream fora here I understand the idea is now (but as its TH can change by the whim of any minute) to drop it completely first for Thai citizens returning and then later/maybe for the pesky farang. LAOS has already dropped all of such rules-today or very recent. Meanwhile here in EUR the EU has advised that wearing masks in planes is also not needed anymore from 15/5-I flew today (on Ryan, yes, for 14€) and it was enforced.

To Patters: depends a bit wher exactly you want to go. Direct BUSes (probably much less though as the very frequent service pre-covid) run from both Ekamai=eastern and Mochit=northern bus terminal, end at main PTY busterminal on 2nd rd near Sukhumvit=far from the areas anyone stays-so mercy of greedy ´bathbus´ drivers. From what I remember the BELL bus is the one from airprot and sets down at most convenient points in PTY. Runs hourly and is/was often full if youcoame just before dep. For direct to Jomtien-in fact I also wonder-maybe christian knows more, for me too long ago since been there.

It all depends if you are the one who wants to be taken by hand or is used to find his way on his own. And if you want just daytrips=come back to enjoy the cooler evenings in BKK or go away a few days-but in a total stay of 10 days incl. also seaside Pattaya that seems a bit too much to me. How did you cope with TH (other script, strange habits, etc in previous trips? All major hotels-like about anywhere in this world, will have day-tour programs. Now with the rise in e-bookings etc it also should not be too hard and deliver good prices for a day rental of taxi+driver. Or hook up with a guy you fancy and let him suggest some explorations-most likely that will not be the obvious touristy places-and his family probably lives way too far out in the sticks for a visit. On weekends there are special excursion trains from the state railway-100 bt each. BUT dep. at 6.00 or not much later!! ALSO note that the old station Hualampong is no more-for trains. Its now the brand new ´central´ giant oversized thing near bang Sue=near weekend market

On this subject, but a little away from TH; right now I sit in Praha (and not specific for its offer in BelAmi or Manś Best/Higgins guys) and here -even in suburban metro stops, are many bitcoin machines that ´promise´ to change right at the spot your precious crowns into that ´currency´-or seemingly also reverse. I only used a real life (arab run, of course) money exchange for a €note into those crowns for small purchases, as I have decided to steer clear of this coinage, but others may think otherwise. For those who dont know: the currency here in CZ is since more as a century the Czech (former Czechoslovak) koruna=crown, or CZK. About 24/25 to the€. They should once turn over to €-as all new EU-states have to, but it has not happened till now. If it would fit in Th it would likely open the sluices for the Chinese to turn their hidden stacks into ´black' currencies.

Just walk along that busy road straight on-about 1,5 km (1 mile), you´ll see yet another BigC superstore and after it-a T-junction the ´sky´train which is in fact a subway/metro line that you could have taken back to Ram IV# Silom. Or just board any bus along there. For those who read and stack it for maybe later trips. Last boat @18.00-they do not go in the night after dark.

A little back to a minor remark of dear khun vinapu, about HTL asking to keep ID of guy during stay. Actually this is GOOD service in Thai way of thinking. They will/should also fone you when guy comes to collect ID to ask if there were not any problems, did you miss anything? Remember this was indeed standard practice in Pattaya when I was there=long ago. And yes, looks do not say very much or rather often reverse. Good service is. Plus that Thai still are mistified in the apparently different tastes that these funny farang have in what is ´handsomeness´. Once had a guy-mostly due to lack of others on a rainy day at odd hours, with 1 of such mook. But he was very experienced and really knew how to use it to full satisfaction. I think this is/was also a fashion rage once and has about disappeared with todays younger guys-except maybe from way back out in the sticky rice areas. But alas-those nasty tattoos, ever growing bigger, seem to have overtaken. Just close your eyes and get the feeling.

On the upper line-a bit funny, but its indeed the standard Thai line for ´staff wanted´ Literally translated it says like ´rab samoey´ or ´offer opening´ Now thats something many of you guys could also imitate. You see it in any newsppr ad for staff wanted. These 200/150 bt are indeed in line with what most bars offer-in dire times- to staff as ṕresent´ to get as many guys in as they can get. The rest of the ´salary´is indeed the private initiative of the guys themselves. Its not an official recognised job so govt rules (as macaroni claims) cannot prevail. Thai logic. Most of such places also offer free food, communal meals or the like before/after. Workers like mamasan etc most often have some type of ´special relationship´ with owner/manager. A large part of ´salary´will come in other forms as cash baht.

Also thanks/krap khun for this, nice reviving memories. Good to see you are able to venture out of the Silom ghetto on your own! And now back in swinging Tel Aviv-has that tram/metro now finally been ready? A is a (nick)name as frequent as Peter or Dick in the UK or John in US. Its mostly the nr 1, or first boy in the family. I spent some time seeing massage poh-VDOś lately and well over half showed the oil poured over the body. THat is nowadays likely the main source for guys to get instructed. But its indeed old-Thai-style to have it warmed up a little in the hands of masseur. Plus that in past it was much more solid wax-type. HOT oil is sometimes also offered but then comes in a plate on a candle or so. About any msg-shop that takes its works seriously let you choose what flavour of oil you would like. Having once a night full of mosquitoes after some, I now always take ´no scent´.

To that list of arrivals-as I every now and then, to keep up with the general info, go through the general Thai forums-mostly aimed at farang married with the Thai wife: I would estimate that at least half of the nrs are in fact such people going on instigation of ´the wife´ to her homeland. or simply to check if the house etc is still there. @ entry Indonesia: it seems there is conflict, as they are opening up, notably touristy Bali, but as for now ONLY for some selected countries. DK if OZ belongs to them (before the main deliverer of screaming sheilaś), but from EUR the Netherlands do-old historic ties and also thousands of marriages too. But from what I understood rules for those lucky enough comparable to what TH still wants. And time for a little warning: even if TH may scrap the pre-departure test requirement, this does not say that the airline you use also does-some are pertinent in that all their pas are checked-to minimize of course possible infections on board. On those fora it was pointed out that now the chance of testing positive should be eve greater due to more chance on it whilst sitting some 10-12 hrs close by in a plane. No idea if that is true or not. And completely aside: today , whilst now in Barcelona, just by chance passed a Thai restrt and as there was just a delivery going on and I could read the Thai script, had at least a little nice conversation with indeed a Thai waiter-though he was a bit sorrow as the big boss was, of course, a Viet. Just across from that Axel 2 hotel (heterofriendly). BCN does not really hold up in its special services compared to Thailand

It seems that AXEL hotels, of Barcelona fame, has just opened, or is about to open a new hotel in la Habana. Saw this (being in Barcelona right now, but not in Axel) advertised yesterday. Ad says, that besides 5 places/6 hotels in Spain here they are also in Berlin and Miami. Several late reports about Cuban scene were in fact not that promising- not delivering, cheating etc were often mentioned. And as its all illegal, there is no recourse. So hope that it will/may turn for the better.

A very big house does not mean that its only for the small family-likely it will be for the extended family, incl. a few brothers/sisters with their own families. I do not have too much too share here. Except this one Burmese guy, who I once chose in a msg shop in Nonthburi for his many tattoos etc, kind of curiosity only. Well, he provided indeed quite good service, was not the usual Karyen/hilltribe, but real main-Burmese and then told me he got his ´training´ whilst in that g.d army from fellow-soldiers. My dearest best friend in BKK for a few yrs was then student and a muslim guy. Looked more moroccan as Thai. Father in the airforce, mother some bank-job and he was very much extreme in hiding. Never had these common sob stories. After study ending he found a quite good job in setting up coffeeshops-the rage at that time, later when market exhausted by setting up juice-bars.

Hey, sawasdee, now I just see this. How did you get that Thai bank account without having a proper adress there? Or too long ago to remember? Yes, I too have-not wallet, but envelopes, with all things in for a particular country-some money/coins left, sometimes even special transitcards etc. Just in an open drawer.

Maybe, likely not all. Expect deafening music and an utmost commercial style to press as much money out of you-for entry, drinks, etc. Anyone >30 will look very much out of place. There is/was a kind of accepted Thai way, mostly via other staff, to let a dancing guy know you like him-you buy flower garlands @ inflated prices as present. He might already be ´occupied´ by another person, be it elder man or lady, likely Thai, perhaps Chinese. In that case-forget it. You will not hear that beforehand though. Also do not expect much /en/glish to be spoken, or even to be able to communicate due to loud music. Again, if you are not familiair with how things run in TH in the Thai way, then restrict yourself to the familiair welcoming places, with some looking around there will also be same type of guys. Or you may be lucky with guys advertsiing themselves on the known hook-up sites. (BTW-FAKE is near the corner of Ram IX and Ratchda, near a Airportlink stop and behind a fairly still new shopping centre) I am unsure as to if these places are open due to covid restrictions now

No, but no further details, you did not even state in what city. In fact the nr of swimming pools in BKK is quite small, for most Thai the nearest by klong is good enough. In fact the Thai says a little different: more like sara wai naam (=these 2 means swim) chorn charoen.

Most of the 20+ massageshops that BKK has will also have the odd guy with big equipmt. These places are very much spread out over the city, those in outer suburbia will be Thai for Thai mostly, as hardly any farang will even know how to find them. Some of them advertize on a special site thaimassageboy.com. Frequent poster vinapu-find his well earned prized report from a 2 week stay last dec.- seems to have roughly same liking and he, as for BKK, rec. Sabaidee (in the garage just off a soi off Ram IV east of Silom toward the Klong Toey slums. Famous just moved Tawan bar also runs/ran? (sorry, not been there since covid outbreak myself) a massageshop in that soi. And there is still-reopened again, Arena in Silom plaza-upper floor. Just ask receptionist-he has heard the request many, many times. Very often those with big guns are not the most handsome men-in fact thats the reason why they are there! Or just scroll down a little- there is a longer post on musclemen massage a few weeks ago