bobsaigon

In my post to the Please help me thread, I wondered why anyone would come to a forum looking for opinions and advice from complete strangers about personal decisions regarding tipping or other interaction with Thai MB’s. But upon reflection, I realized that that is exactly what I should have done when I started my explorations in gay Thailand 20 years ago, instead of allowing myself to be guided/misguided solely by the compulsions of my nether region. And I realized that those coming to ask advice or opinions may have nowhere else to turn, unable to ask advice from friends who have no Thai experience, or are simply very new to the whole vortex of the gay Thai world. A new thread entitled “Advice from the Guru(s)” or “Accumulated knowledge of the past x number of decades in gay Thailand”, might actually prove very enlightening for the inexperienced punter. Not expecting him to follow advice religiously, but giving him a general feeling of how other people handle themselves and their encounters in Thailand. So now, to those unsure of the survival strategies they should adopt in Thailand, I say, “Welcome, maybe we can help, or at least we can reveal the various mindsets of experienced gay travelers and residents of the country, with the caveat that some of us are still making the same mistakes that we made 20 or 30 years ago.” lol Pai, la kap. Choke dee, na.

My point was that since it is a very personal decision, who go to a forum to ask advice from people who are not aware of your personal circumstances? "This is not the DPRK and I'm not Kim Jong Un." This appears to indicate that you are a moderator or administrator of the forum. I was not aware of that.

There's an ex-bf in Thailand who, long after we parted company, contracted HIV and subsequently TB to go along with that, plus several ensuing complications. And there's a fellow I very much like in Manila who really needs an operation on his heart in order to continue breathing. And there's a fellow from Africa. I have known him and his family (all now in the US) for more than 50 years. His brother is facing foreclosure on his business unless he gets some help. Should I help these people? That's rhetorical. I am definitely NOT asking for the opinions or advice of anyone on an internet forum. To help any of the guys I mentioned, or not to help them, or to help someone in a go go bar who says he needs rent money, the decision is certainly mine alone. If I have the money and I want to help, then I help. If I don't have the money or think I'm being scammed, then I don't help. C'est tout. Up to you, na.

The guys who work in Soi Twilight, all Buddhists, have been saying this all along but no one paid attention !

Bruno's Restaurant & Wine Bar Website Directions 4.4148 Google reviews Restaurant Address: 306/63 Chateau Dale Plaza Thappraya Rd, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand Hours: Reservations: brunos-pattaya.com Order: brunos-pattaya.com Phone: +66 38 119 586 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cafe des Amis Website Directions 4.6225 Google reviews Fine Dining Restaurant Address: หมู่ที่ 10 391/6 Thanon Thap Phraya, Pattaya City, อำเภอ, Chon Buri 20260, Thailand Hours: Phone: +66 84 026 4989 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Au Bon Coin Website Directions 4.881 Google reviews French Restaurant Address: 352/104 Moo 12, Nongprue, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20260, Thailand Hours: Opens 6PM Phone: +66 38 364 542 https://www.google.com.vn/search?q=drivetime+bangkok+thailand+to+pattaya+thailand&rlz=1C1AOHY_enVN708VN709&oq=drivetime+bangkok+thailand+to+pattaya+thailand&aqs=chrome..69i57.42141j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The Buddhists have it right.

From a long time capitan at Dreamboys: "Soi Twilight will close soon. Maybe in April next year or the end of next year. Chang Corporation and Montien Hotel together take over the soi. They are making a community complex." No idea what kind of "community complex" would be appropriate for that soi.

And in Saigon, my long time partner was kind enough to inform me that he was probably the only person in the country who could understand when I produced a few words of Vietnamese. Other people thought I was speaking French or Russian. So nice to have a reality checker available full time.

A final note from me: Prof Noam Chomsky at MIT created the idea of a "Language Acquisition Device" which is supposedly innate. His theory fell short of explaining why some of us can/do learn other languages and why some can/do not. For all of Dr. Chomsky's learned speculation, it remained just that -- speculation.

We are engaged in pure speculation, which could go on interminably. No one can say for sure why ex-pats do not learn to speak Thai. I would still suggest that psychological factors and physiological factors must be considered since they are far from "rare". But I also do not have any evidence to support my view.

that "tone deaf" argument is simply bullshit and untrue, and I mean for EVERYONE, regardless of country of origin and age It does take time (1 to 2 years) and patience to "tune in" to the tones, but it is actually possible and rather effortless. UNLESS there are inhibiting psychological or other factors present. That also needs to be considered.

(1) Purchase of home in Thailand (or any other place abroad): If you have not made arrangements for the home to be left to a local resident after your death, and choose to bequeath it to someone in your home country, the sale of the property and transfer of funds abroad could be extremely complicated and time consuming and in some cases quite costly to the beneficiary. (2) Health insurance: Try to get a good policy in place (covering overseas treatment) before you have serious pre-existing health issues, i.e., while you are still in good health, perhaps in your 50’s. If you wait till age 60 or later to start coverage, rates will be appropriately higher and if there are pre-existing conditions, coverage may be denied or be prohibitively expensive. There are several reliable insurance sources with expat representatives in Thailand. (3) Sell everything at home in order to settle in Thailand? And if that doesn’t work out for you and you want to sell your Thai home, be reminded that transfer of funds abroad may be restricted by the Thai government and you may need to explore secondary means of transfer, costing you X Thousand dollars. (4) Settle in a country where you need air-conditioning to survive? That is not a minor consideration. (5) I’m 78, living in Saigon with my Vietnamese partner for the past 18 years. Treatment and medicines for my health issues are not more than a few hundred dollars a month, much more affordable that the exorbitant insurance fees I would have to pay if I could find an insurer willing to cover my pre-existing conditions. I am comfortable financially and my partner now has enough property in his name to ensure his comfort when I am no longer here. If I were single at this point, I would probably be living in a location with four seasons and with people who speak English as a first language. I’ll keep that in mind for the next life.

Siam Heritage is next to Tarntawan. There is a chain hotel across the street from them. Google street view or Google map may give the current name of that. Also directly across the street is the Le Meridien. TMax is correct.

I should have mentioned that Siam Heritage are not particularly joiner friendly unless your visitor is already registered with you. Last time I heard they were charging 900 Baht to admit a joiner. (!)

Siam Heritage on Suriwongse Rd opposite the Le Meridien and next to Tarntawan. I should have mentioned that they are not particularly joiner friendly unless your visitor is already registered with you. Last time I heard they were charging 900 Baht to admit a joiner. (!)

Across the street from the Le Meridien Hotel is the Siam Heritage Hotel (owned by brother of Rabbit Resort in Pattaya). Check their website, looks like it would be within your budget, with advance booking.

I think the original question in this thread is what risk a gay person would face in the southern districts of Thailand in view of their Muslim population. Very possibly, there would be no risk. What many board members recall is that the staunchly Muslim countries are vehemently anti-gay both by custom and by law (though in many areas it is traditionally understood that homosexuality is acceptable among unmarried males). So, rather than mentally referencing the 9/11 World Trade Center tragedy or subsequent Muslim generated violence in America or Europe, board members instead are recalling the treatment, sometimes harsh and sometimes deadly, that gay men receive at the hands of governments in Saudi Arabia, Iran (two gay teenagers executed), or similar countries. The occupation of Palestine, the prejudice that entirely innocent Muslims are subjected to in America and Europe cannot simply be dismissed. There is Islamophobia, but that is not relevant to the average gay traveler to the southern Thai provinces. If the traveler is Islamophobic, then there is certainly no good reason for such a journey.

Question to OP: How would you prevent the Thai guys from referring to themselves and unmarried colleagues as old as 35, as "boys" ? "Boy", us used by the guys I have known, is more of a way of referencing someone who has not married, not settled down and not left the game. At least that's what I have heard for 20 years, though the times they could be a changing.

Of course adults can make their own decisions regarding the use of Prep and/or condoms. We just hope all of those decisions turn out to be risk free. And, may I add that not everything that people over 30 say is totally irrelevant or out of date?

As I said, the memories are worth it, and if 51 other farang have similar memories, I congratulate them.

Only once did a host bar boy hesitate slightly before going with me. We had a delightful time and are still in touch years afterwards. Well, to put it accurately, once a year he has an emergency and relies on me to provide a month's rent. The memories are worth it.

One of the most delightful young men I ever met was Vietnamese, working at Classic Bar. We had a brief but very enjoyable encounter. Perhaps he appreciated the fact that I live full time in Vietnam. At any rate, I suggest you give the Viet guys a try. You could be very pleasantly surprised.

Vietnam: Visa on Arrival is an option. Check the Vietnamese government website about different types of visas.

Heard the same thing: Dreamboy closed 25-26. This from a Dreamboy employee.

Agreed. It is sad. When the emotions take total control of one's life, it cannot be a peaceful exsistance.