CallMeLee

I'm pleading the fifth. 😁 I was sifting through the Japan forum planning a trip - then this piece of news disrupted my plans! Fingers crossed the new bar will be a success.

Any idea how tipping works in these places? I'm curious as tipping is not expected in Japan - and some might perceive it as offensive.

I think diamond emoji means something else? (i.e. crystal meth)

Your trip report is such a joy to read @sudoxi! Can't help but wax nostalgic about my first time exploring the boy bar scene many moons ago.

I've visited SSENSE quite a number of times during the last three years. I've always been asked to leave a review but didn't bother to post or update the first one I made. I agree that google reviews doesn't have much bearing for me for shops such as this ---- since it leaves out the detail that I am most interested in. The same can be said for rankings or the order their profile will be placed in the booking site. I will still scroll past their most decorated and awarded staff and keep scrolling down till I find the profile that makes my heart skip a beat.

Yeah. Will depend mostly on the duration. I know some customers who will stay cuddled up with their chosen guy for the entire night without intention to off. I'm hoping the boy will receive a tip commensurate to that. In my case, doing the vibe check, due diligence, expectation setting etc. doesn't take so much time. So if they failed the vibe check within the first 10 minutes, I immediately send them back to rotation with a 100 baht note. If I may add a question - what's the expectation when you call a guy from stage to join you? Should you buy him drink immediately or is it alright to chat for a few minutes to decide if you want him to stay for drinks?

Not a definitive answer but based from experience: They will stay as long as you keep the drinks flowing (which can be pricey unless you avail of their bottle service). They will leave everytime they have to do their stage work as their endgame is to be offed. Once the topic of being offed is breached and there's mutual understanding that it will not progress to that stage, handing them a tip is the universal code for saying thanks and you are sending them back to rotation.

Yeah, it's hard to imagine visiting Thailand without these iconic institutions! 😄 But here's the thing: if I go for the bar boy service during the day, that's dipping into my 'daytime fun' budget. Not that it means I’ll skip the nightlife—I’m still clocking in when the sun goes down! It's really the naughty massages that'll be competing and missing out on my Baht if I take the plunge with Option 3.

Yeah. I tried this option a couple of times (as per the boy's suggestion). Saves time and baht as well i.e. entrance plus boy drinks plus tips do add up at the end of the night. The only downside is you will miss out the entire bar experience --- if you like and enjoy those kind of things. Maybe you can mix it up. First few days visit the bar to scope the lay of the land then focus on your 'reliables' when the bar scene loses its novelty. There's actually a third option - meet the 'reliable' boy outside bar hours (they need to be at the bar around 8pm) and no need to pay off fee.

Given that Saphan Khwai shops originally catered to local clients—and I believe a significant portion of their current business still comes from local patrons—the 100 THB savings per session can be a good deal for them. However, for more transient customers like us, this may not offer optimal value.

Yeah. Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya will be thb 1100 via Klook.

Same. I don't trust myself and my sense of direction after a long flight. But I pre-book taxi via Klook app and depending on car of your choice (i.e standard to more comfy SUV) , cost will be between 500 - 900 baht toll included.

Glad to hear you had a great session with Tongtong. I have several favourites at SSENSE but when it comes to scrub, I always choose him.

Thanks. Everything summed up to 4.7K including the tip I added the following morning. Amount not within my usual budget range but I decided to treat myself as it was my last night. And did I mention that he smiled at me?! 😂 😍🤪

Highlights, Lowlights, Rants, Raves and Reflections ✓Tawan – Still Finding Its Footing As much as it pains me, Tawan was a lowlight this time around. There are glimmers of the old charm I loved, but they seem to be struggling post-closure. Fingers crossed this is just a transitional phase! ✓Prince & SSENSE Reliable as ever. No complaints here—just solid, dependable fun. ✓Arena I’ve rekindled my love for Arena and found myself visiting more frequently than usual. Maybe it’s to compensate for the Tawan disappointment? Either way, it’s a win. ✓Good Boys Good Boys is becoming a personal favorite. If the rumors are true and they’re moving to Sol bar’s old space, that’s exciting! Their current roster deserves more room to shine. ✓Banana Banana is stepping up in showmanship, but they need more variety in their boy lineup. And please, can we have more frequent visibility? Performances can drag on while the boys disappear into the ether. ✓Jupiter – Surprise of the Trip Jupiter was a pleasant surprise! Maybe it’s a fluke or the low-season magic, but it really stood out this time. ✓Moonlight – Still zero offs from me Still haven’t offed anyone from Moonlight. Can’t put my finger on it, but the vibe just isn’t doing it for me. Maybe a dash of sleaze would help? Lol. ✓Hotmale – Entertaining Yet Predictable Hotmale is fun, but the lineup hasn’t changed much. It’s starting to feel a little too predictable. Still worth a visit. ✓Saphan Kwai Shops These shops are starting to claim a larger share of my trip funds—and I’m not mad about it. ✓Dreamboys My last two visits unfortunately was a lackluster experience . I’m hoping they can reignite the magic soon. The stage feels empty and performance is meh at best. Are they still imposing the "Thai only" policy? ✓Repeat Offs Lately, I’ve been gravitating toward reliability and consistency over variety. It’s a shift from my usual cravings for novelty. ✓Routine Setting In? This is my third trip report, and I’m noticing a lot of my experiences while personally satisfying, are becoming routinary. In some of my visits at Arena, SSENSE, Dreamboys—there’s nothing particularly new to report, so I’ve omitted some details. I’m considering switching up my reporting style next time—shorter, plus snappier. Don't want to bore you guys with my extended waffling about some random stuff. Lol. Let me know if this new approach will work! Till next time! 😃