paulsf

I'd say that the going tip is 1500, but I find there is more pressuring by the boys to try to get it up to 2000. I think Dream Boys works hard to get 2000, and probably do most of the time. But boys at the other clubs and bars will take 1500, especially now with low season.

Hot Male and X-Size have the most Vietnamese boys working. The clubs are doing full sex shows again. Hot Male and Banana Bar stay open till 3am. The rest of Soi Twilight goes dark by 1:30am .

My story....I got a 90 day Visa for Brazil thru the San Francisco consulate. Very true, they will not even discuss the length. Take it or leave it. At the Miami consulate, I got a 5 year. I now go to Bangkok. Been 3 times this year and have 2 more plane tickets. No visa for 30 days. Airfare cheaper than Brazil. Very safe place to be. Downside, long trip.

I take a lot of cash on my trips. I just find it easier. Most of my trips are a month, so usually end up using an ATM once or twice near end of trip. I find that I budget my money better if I have cash. But when I start taking 10k baht out of an ATM it starts spending faster and easy to go back and get more. I get away from my budget.

The Chinese also just signed some deals in SE Asia. They will be building high speed systems from Bangkok to NorthernThailand and across Cambodia and Laos to Hanoi. They have been soliciting new business all over the world.

My first visa that I got in San Francisco was for 90 days. I made my first trip to Rio and had so much fun decided to go again soon after. I never paid much attention to the visa dates, just assuming it was a year. Got to airport and was told expired. Shock set in. Was going thru Miami, so said I would just go stay there. When I arrived there went to AA Admiral Club and was talking to check in desk to rearrange flights and told her of expired situation. She saved my trip. Rebooked me for next night and told me to go to Brazilian consulate when they open and they will probably do a same day visa for me. I was there as the door opened and they couldn't have been any nicer. I dropped all paper work off at 9am and had new 5 year visa at 3pm . This was a few years ago and probably wouldn't happen now.

My ATM and credit cards are with Chase. Most major bank have fee free if you have the right type of account. Just check with your bank. ATMs are everywhere

I never use credit card unless hotel or large store purchase. Riches on Silom, there are a few around the city, usually has the best conversion. Atm is what I use. But keep in mind they charge 180 baht service charge. I have a card that doesn't charge me. Thais like cash. The U.S. Rate is as Google as I have seen in a long time right now.

My life at home is totally opposite of my fun times on the road. I go to the gym a few days a week to get out during the day, then sit by the pool and read a book for a bit in the afternoon. For many years, I worked 7 days a week and traveled a lot. Reading was just something I never had time to do. So now I really look forward to a good mystery, and sitting by the pool makes it better. The rest of the day is spent infront of the TV, daydreaming of my next trip to Thailand. Friday afternoon is movie day and every few weeks thru in a strip club visit. My life is so routine you could set your watch by it. I've given up the escort scene in the U.S. What I would pay for 1 get together, I can get 5 nights in Bangkok. So I just sit on my money at home, so I can get on that plane. The years are creeping up quickly. I still have my health and want to make the most of it. But one of these days I'm just going to wake up and realize it's not going to happen anymore. I appreciate the kind words Msguy. My flight arrives back in Ft.Lauderdale Wednesday night, and the same same daily routine of retirement begins .

I have a couple of friends that say they don't like Asians because they are so small. Well surprise on them. Sure there are some small Asians. But many of these boys have discovered the gyms. My Vietnamese friend plays soccer 3 times a week in a local league. Sometimes he will bring a couple of friends by after a game. They have the best legs and rock solid butts. And current info, 2 just took showers and left 20 minutes ago. As for Hero, your right. 100% masculine and I would say 90 % muscular. They have really figured out how to fill out a tank top. Tonight was my last night out on the town before flying home Tuesday morning. Took my Vietnam friend and a Thai friend out for Mexican food. Their first time. They had Taco salads and enchiladas . Not the best meal they have ever had, but they were ok with it. After 3 weeks of Thai food I was into it. I've had a great time. Seen very little rain. But lots of heat. Most days pushing 100 and nights staying in the 80's. Got great use of the pool. It's a bit into the low season and it shows. The bars and clubs a bit slow on week nights, but pick up ok on weekends. I'm always a bit anxious to get home and see what's up, but then after a couple of weeks I'm thinking of that next trip. Be back in Sept for a month and then Feb for 2 months. Will try to throw a Rio in there somewhere. So for the next couple of months it will be Swinging Richards and Boardwalk. Love this retirement thing. Don't like getting older.

Last night (sat) I was hanging out at Hot Male bar. There must be some sort of Chinese holiday as even the boys were commenting how many Chinese customers were around. They drink a lot but the boys complain they don't tip much. Friday night the owner of Hot Male opened a new night club across the street in the Wall Street Tower building. It's on the lower level. About midnight, last night, he was headed over there and invited me and my friend as his guest. It is really a nice place. Got to sit in the owners corner and all the bottle services that come with it. Thais are very polite so a friend of the owners gets treated as well as the owner. I'm not much of an alcohol drinker and the bottles of whiskey on the table scared me a bit, but I just keeped asking for more ice cubes. Unfortunately it's more a straight club, but no shortage of eye candy behind the bar. And the boys seeing I was with the owner were very easy to flirt with. Im getting to old for this going out at 10pm and staying out till 4am. . I had a great time and that's what is important. For those that are familiar with Soi Twilight, the owner of Hot Male is going to open a beer garden and restaurant at the far end of Soi Twilight. I think it's going to be where Balls is. I have my doubts that it can work. Dicks and Maxis seem to cover the restaurant business quite well on the Soi. Also most people don't seem to walk that far up the Soi. He will need to come up with some really good marketing to make it work. Tonight is my last night of fun here. Heading over to Hero Massage for the 6th time this afternoon. (TotallyOz, if we stayed in a hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 11, how many times would we go to Hero.). Best collection of boys I've ever seen anywhere. Then tonight my friend will be joining me for dinner and spending the night. My flight leaves Tue morning at 6:30 am to Hong Kong connecting to my AA flight to Dallas. So Monday night is reserved for being in bed by 9 or so.

Mvan, I hope your not getting the wrong impressions of what a police raid is like here. Don't think of many officers in riot helmets and rifles marching down the street into a club. Not what happens. Usually a couple of undercover, not in uniform officers. They come in usually early in the evening before most tourist are there. They will check licenses, look for drugs and underage ect. If you were here now, you wouldn't even know this happened. You and Tomcal know many boys and owners in Rio. Your privy to some inside info of what's going on. Same for me in Bangkok. My bf is Vietnamese he has a passport and is here legally. But he works when here, and that is illegal. So he keeps an eye open to goings on. I am friends with the owner of one of the larger bars and clubs. He is less concerned about the police than you are. Inconvience is a better word than harassment. This is definitely not a weekly, monthly and usually not a yearly issue. Bangkok is a city that is close to violent crime free. I've always thought these were little things they gave the police to do to keep them busy and give them something different to do than traffic duty. Bottom line, this should be a non issue and pretty much can guarantee this would never affect you as a tourist.

I lived in San Francisco before I retired and remembered many of the $600. fares to Rio. Then I get excited about moving to Ft.Lauderdale and the fares are consitantly in the $1500. range. It's such an easy overnight trip I planned on commuting weekends for fun. Then the high prices of hotels, money, food ect set in. Now it looks like the good old days and I'm ready to jump on it again. I'm and explat with American, so I know how fast fares can change. But I've been away for a month and need to get home this week, make sure life is still ok at home, and then hope a few of these fares are around. I'll jump on a few of them.

Won't it be a case of driving Miss Daisy, and the boys will be doing most of the driving.

For me it's usually frustrating that it costs more to fly to Rio from Miami than to Bangkok. The trip I am on now I got for $750.00. Usually fares to Rio are close to $1500.00 unless I go up to New York, then can get it around $1000.00. But I have noticed the Miami fares are now below $1000.00. I get back from Bangkok on Wednesday and will be looking to see what they have. I haven't been to Rio in a couple of years.

Nothing has really changed since you were here last. These things happen. They happen at the clubs in Ft.Lauderdale where I live. Police walk in looking for underage, drugs, prostitution. Same in Thailand. Thailand is also under military dictatorship right now. The guy in charge has said he wants to have a moral side. But the police in Thailand do expect to be compensate for their cooperation in turning a blind eye to most things. But sometimes the higher ups put a little pressure on. You also have to remember the workers they are targeting are in the country illegally. Many boys from all over SE Asia come to Thailand for work. But I pretty much guarantee if you were here on vacation, you wouldn't even know this was going on. I'm here 1/2 the year and have friends in management and working boys, so we talk about it and I am more aware. There are others on this site that have been in Thailand when this stuff has happened and will probably tell you the same, it won't interfere with your vacation. I was here when the last government overthrow happened. It makes worldwide press, but most of the protesting was in a very small area and didn't interfer with the average tourist. I always found it interesting when a couple of truckloads of arms troops would go by and the boys wouldn't even look up from there drinks. Last night on Soi Twilght the clubs were packed. The outdoor bars were packed. It was the busiest night I have seen on this trip. My friends have said the police have backed off, but they are still wanting the non-Thai boys were long pants for a bit more. The non-non Thai boys are back on stage doing shows and nudity was in abundance. Your last paragraph is a bit strong and not something I agree with. Do some research on police corruption in Thailand. It runs from taxi, to hotels, to bars. Payoffs in SE Asia are a way of life in most businesses. Gays in Thailand are treated quite well. Probably treated better here than in the U.S. It's not the gays that are being harassed in the clubs, it's the illegals, the drugs and under aged. Also these checks don't happen on a daily basis. This is the first I remember in a couple of years.

Vinapu you kind of hit the issue with "Superiors". I got a bit more info, though with language issues its a bit hard to get it exact. It appears there are 2 policemen that handle the goings on in Soi Twilight. Their superiors came to them and said there were talks from very high up to create trouble in the sex clubs in the city. The superiors told the 2 policemen to try to clean up their area a bit so there would not be any big raids. They, fearing loss of income....told club owners, Thai only, no sex on stage. Things from high up quieted down and clubs were told non-Thais could wear clothes onstage. This makes for fast getaway if necessary. Things are a bit better this weekend. Non-Thai still in long pants, but no shirts ok. And Non-Thai boys are back doing shows, nudity ok,but quickly back to clothes when done. I was eating at Dicks last night and noticed several boys at the massage places next door were also wearing long pants, so rules extending to all places. Talking to a couple of Non-Thai friends of mine, a couple of mamasans and owner of one club, they think the worse is over, but they are still a bit uncomfortable about the situation, not sure if something is still going to come down from the top.

For me, I'll always have a good time here. It's no different than in the U.S. When the police decide it's time to do a vice crack down. I just feel bad for the guys trying to make a living. $20 to you or me doesn't mean much, but to them it means eating for a few days. This stuff happens here in cycles. Next it will be the ladyboy clubs and then the girlie clubs. It will be back to normal soon enough. It's interesting with the smuggling situation. I watch a lot of CNN and BBC and see more on this subject than I do on Thai TV. It is showing up in the Bangkok Post. But it's a lot like the religious issues in the south of Thailand, it's a long way from Bangkok and locals don't get worked up about it.

It gets stranger by the minute. Went out to Soi Twilight for a bit last night. The police affect is still going on. Now Thai boys can be on stage in their shorts as usual. Now non-Thai boys can be on stage but have to wear long pants.looks kind of strange when seeing 20 boys on stage, half dressed and half undressed. The low season is setting in. Just doesn't seem to be an abundance of tourists around. Still very hot and humid. Haven't seen much rain though in my 3 weeks. Woke up this morning to a big thunder storm and totally overcast all day. Actually with no bright sun the temp has been a bit lower than normal. Took advantage to head to Siam Paragon for some shopping and lunch. They have a food court there that rivals any. Lots of great people watching also. Get home, jump in the pool to cool down a bit. Nap time now before heading out for the evening. Hopefully the police can find something more important to keep themselfs busy tonight, than worry what some boys are wearing on stage in a sex club.

Now it's almost comical. Thai boys can dance on stage in their shorts, business as usual. Non-Thai boys can be on stage, but they have to wear long pants, but can work shirtless. It's better than nothing, at least they can be on stage. But when you see half dressed and half undressed, looks a bit strange. Many shows get cancelled because they don't have enough Thai boys. I heard Dream Boys is all Thai boys anyway so they are still packing them in. Management is hoping things will be back to normal this weekend. Costing them lots of money.

The massage places on Soi Twilight will be open till about midnight.

YES

Police action still messing things up tonight. That's 4 nights in a row. Difficult to have shows and keep customers as not enough boys in some clubs. Tonight was a bit better. They only allowed Thai boys onstage . Non-Thai boys could be in the clubs but had to stay fully clothed and sitting in the audience seats. When customers would come in, they would try to sit close to them and get noticed. I was told they are hoping things will get back to normal Monday or Tuesday night.

I've already got it lined up. Was supposed to happen yesterday, but other boy didn't show up. My friend said we could pick another, but I really like the one we had lined up. They said wed/thur should work.

I guess the police have still been affecting the Soi Twilight clubs. It's now been 4 nights that only Thai boys have been allowed to work. This has affected business as not enough boys to do shows . Customers come in, look around and leave. Tonight there was a bit of easing up as only Thai boys could be on stage, but non-Thai boys could be in the clubs as long as they were fully dressed and were sitting in the audience. It was hard for boys to let customers know they were available , but some of them are darn good at it and got some dates. I was told they hope things will be back to normal in the next 2 days. My good friend is Vietnamese and was sitting with me. By the end of the night all 5 of his Vietnam friends that work there sitting with us. All trying to work me. I'm glad I've been around this a little bit, and can say no. I could have drained my bank account tonight. but it was a fun evening and hopefull for the boys, they will be able to start working again tomorrow.