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I counted and found I have seen/been to 6 of the first 12, but none of them I would consider them to be in my own personal listing for this. I now sit in the public library and there are at least a dozen coffeetabel books on the same thing in minor variations. BTW-the newest fad in this ''listing hype'' seems to be: the best/prime 10 (or 12) things to have done as child before you turned 11 3/4 or 13,3/4 (a magic age due to the Harry Potter or Adrian Mole books). I am glad to give someone else the chance to post this here too.

Figures from TAT-just released on to be found on about any newspapersite and thaivisa etc. For 1st half year 2012 nr of tourist arrivals was just over 10 million. For about as long as these lists are made, the Malays top the bill. But now the Chinese (mainland) have overtaken them by a tiny marginboth are just over 1 million. Russians well over 600.000-UK around 500.000 and DE=Germany 450.000-all rounded. I guess Japanese should be over the Russky, but have omitted to look at that. As per head of population still Malays are the most frequent visitors, from Europe/western world probably the Ozzies (Ausstralian) but most likely the Swedes (this is the nr of visits per person). compare that to the nationality of most posters here and realise how deformed it is as representation

have seen the blog on it now on nickysgayblog and weekly report. It smells now a bit of advertising. The pix were not that convincing to me compared to what really luxurious and expensive spa's in BKK ffer at much higher charges-but certainly on a par of what most offer. Your sneer at dirty/unkempt others etc. somehow is for me a red flag, as is the very same posting on about any other gay site. Nonetheless all the best- m,ay the best win in this world of cut-throat competition.

just by pure coincidence my mother @88 is also now on the point of getting into-but we have national health etc. As to the OQ: I remember from years+more ago on german TV a documentary about really assisted living/care in TH for Swiss suffering from dementia/Alzheimer, weher a 24 hr personal Thai nurse was available at cost much lower (perhaps even paid by Swiss insurance-they know prices) as group-living in Swiss would have cost. Somewhere up north in ChMai. Mostly insurance here-if it covers the case-will pay care in other countries IF it is cheaper and IF they are approved. Most marrried expats -I think- tend to have younger Thai wives(maybe boyfriends too!?) who can do basic caring when they start to get too old.

strangely I now see that this branch is even only named Bali-and not Indo. Forget websites and all that-for the major part. Indo is a very gay-friendly place-except for a few religion-caretakers-infested areas, on 1 major condition; Bisa Bahasa (=can speak the lingo), which is as such infinitely less difficult as it is to learn Thai. Because travel to all those isles is so time-consuming etc (though cheap+fairly unsafe flights abound by now-again forget online- do when there-agents know all the tricks), Java is as main island the best taken as first. Big capital Jakarta-a hellish town as such, but lots under the surface. Yogya and esp. Bandung- whole rows of m2m massageshops+more. Behind the submarine ''statue'' in Surabaya, close by Gubeng tren stasyun, the padang in MAlang, and so much more. All towns have night markets, food etc, go there after dusk and just look lost- helpful youngmen will appear in minutes, if not seconds. In uni-towns-go for the indekos areas (where students live in cheap rooms), just ask around.

Here in Europe is seems the latest craze for holidaymakers-stylish private B+B, that old UK-style Bed and breakfast (in the continent that brekkie was never very important-and available at plenty of other places too), in old ages simply considered to be a pension or private rooms-zimmer frei. With the ever growing rise of www use, there has been a small but proliferate market for private B+B-foregoing the ever more standardized hotels. Various sites like wimdu and airbandb cater for it. In the gay press there is since a few monthes a similar siteclearly targettting the gay market ebab.de , yes, grounded in GErmany. Its mainly for Europe+Norte Americano, but I noted there were 2-3 entries for BKK big city- in bang Khae of all palces (ever been there? far, nah?), but with a prmised extended BTS to there either on 5/12 or maybe next year 12/8 opening. Of course it needs no saying that a major requirement of gays is stylish overpriced design, which can be delivered. But apparently not yet so much in BKK. Tipically (travelled around myself last week and have to chck loads of these things due to work)- hostels (multi bedded rooms-hire by the bed) also proliferate in budget conscious Europe-main destinations. But perhaps due to the gay groups- there are not many for gay-and if, then they only hire per room-even with 4/6/8 or so beds. With loads of naughty pix from showers etc to still give you some hopeful promise.

BS-all this fearing and soliciting for more money. Crowds-IF those Khmer can get beyond their corruption and power-struggles, even worse as the Thai can do, then there should be plenty of hard cash (30US$ for a 4day pass) for a thorough upkeep and restoration. Which is in fact why they hired some Malay company a few years ago to make a kind of honest ticketing+entry scheme and not just pocketing local bribable police. Maybe I have just read too many of these fear-provoking sensational reports to even trust them any more. Yes-the sky COULD also fall now and then we all have a blue hat. ALso there seems to be a nasty repetition as these articles spread around Europe here- today in the uK, next week in DE=Germany, then the Scandinavians, usually then followed up by FRancais and gatetailed by the Southerners Italains and espanoles.

I guess around/nearly half of the clothes in JJ (Chatuchak-the old name just sounds better to me) are 2nd-or 3d/4th etc. ''hand'', lieber Chris. Resale of worn clothes is immensely big bisnis in TH- a lot of it comes from Korea. Picked up a fair lot of real 100% cotton (best for tropics-and TH clothing does not have reliable labels for that-alas) for 99/100 THB at several stands-in various deptmt.stores, BigC etc. Also remember the main market at Sunkai Kolok-malay border, where the clothes were sorted out in neat 2nd, old 2nd- 3d/4th etc-the cheaper it gets, the less organised it is, then the heaps for 20/10 bt etc per kg. What gets premium prices-and there are dozens, if not 100s of stalls selling them at JJ, are real ex-USA 2nd hand jeans. No-at that market there is (of course not-why even bother to ask?) no official or recognised ''gay'' corner. As there never is or I have never ever seen it in other normal markets. PLUS that the items you mention, dear CC, are only 'gay-brand'' in your imagintion, certianly not in that of most THai. OToKO market is the green fresh (bioorganic!!0 greens market across from JJ along Kamphaeng Phet road. Across from it-a little further as JJ market, are some late eve(open by 21.00) gay or gayfriendly booze+beernars and Thai style disco's, some of them at some times attract hundreds of young gay Thai. At SUN evenings just behind it-where the red citybuses turn around, a big 2nd real carBOOT sale-from privates. A moreorless same-same market (socalled the Vespa-as some scooterparts are maybe also sold) is at the Ratchda/lard prao intersection at all weekendnights-where the MRT parking is. Cutey-cutesy private etc miscellaneous market is around te UNIONmall shopping/learning block-at start of Lard prao rd-just a few 100 mtrs beyond JJ/market and ditto park-other side.

IMHO it is simply impossible (or you are just faking and deceiving yourself) by that listing-criteria. Does it really matter if you hit a very good/nice guy, that in next room a twinky may be playing? No place can ever garantee a good massage from all boys at all times. But some do try harder as others. BKK has at least 60-66% of all those places in Thailand and most certainly the best ones. Find complete listings on mangosociety.com (scroll down to forum-then find the english listings), gayscout, better informed but restricted to touristy areas on the various nickygay (pattaya/Bkk/etc.)-google will find them

some additions and own impressions: 1.HERO- that guy is LEK-a very common name in TH-and Mi-you are lucky to have hit him.\ Also; on the TH gay-website gthai.net is since a few weeks a note-only in Thai-that HERO is to relocate to a sidesoi of ratchda (near Fortune). No date given. 2.ALBURY-untill this week on the lead to hero and also mainly getting good reviews-is to move to Sukhumvit soi 26-as per 1/6. See their site-attached to thaiassageboy.com 3.re Bclub-soi 8: NO their rooms are NOT clean-unless they have now finally and really done a thorough makeover. grime, dirt and black soot on the shower curtains. Sheets never changed on beds. Partly explaiend by their indeed low prices (oil-390 bt/90 mins-min.tip only 500) but also sheer negligence. There used to be a very big and varied supply of boys-mostly around 30/40-with many starting service only later, so that does not mean get there early for freshness. Plainly aiming at touristy farang only, but the charming and very good receptionist has gone and been replaced by various others, none very good. NOOne will tell you anything about what boys do-unlike nearly every other place (in real Thai places you can really trust recommendations). So it is all together a big lotteree. More m2m massage in that area-lower SUkh: GUY, soi 19, Urban Male-just off soi Cowboy-right hand corner (soi 23?), former B&N-now in the Korean plaza beside soi 10/12. Another new one has opened in the Silom/Satorn area- Homme- in soi 1 off saladaeng

just a note in case you have missed this on other boards: 1.ALBURY massage is to move to new premises at Sukhumvit, soi 26, nr. 21/3, as per 1/6 this week. This is just behind the Emporium shopping. Albury also is owner of JEY-a litle further on the other side of Sukhumvit-some staff work in both. 2.yet another m2m shop has opened in the silom area: HOMMEclub, in soi 1 off Saladaeng, actually closer to Satorn. Quite pricey-min. 800 bt/hr+ 1000bt tip. see hommeclubbangkok.com Just a few weeks ago at other side off Satorn was opened the Prince. (advertises on thaimassageboy.com).

some to several above: 1.switched myself to dentist checks+treatment in TH-as its so much cheaper-and they treat you like a human being, not someone to be scolded at-as he again has not brushed enough/proper or whatever- as if I would not know that after so many years. Had some long talks with a start-up dentist (the tipical smart Chinese) as he was also interested in how the systems work in Europe. he told me that tipical Thai only go to dentist if there is someone ''rotten'' in the mouth, hardly ever preventive. Was surprised to learn that a dentist here gets yearly money from insurance for all patients. 2.many Thai also told me that the Thai in general do not really like too much sweet things. Though those ''energydrinks''-redbull etc. also heave with sucrose. 3.was also told that Thai like to have even minor treatments under narcose or advacne painkillers. in general I went to 2 dental shops in the last 5 years and was quite impressed with their treatments, available knowledge and uptodate machinery and kind behaviour. And this was not the hi-so Thaivisa hospital etc.

1.@rogie: Chinese (from mainland, the HKg/Sin/Taiwanese are not counted here) still must get en exit-visum for such holidays,. Only granted to officially married couples? I every now and then read those reports that lady-groups from there really relish a visit to the gay bars with their big(thing) shows etc. 2.The cheating of the Chinese does bother? What heck-THEY are the ones who cheat, decete, lie etc. the most of about any hostgiver. One would assume they are thus thoroughly prepared for the worst.

and back to subject: that day was apparently the international day of/against homofobia, as was prominent in about any serious newspaper ehre in Europe. Mostly with the themed articles from Uganda and its horrible suppression. And some online testing of how homofobe you are yourself. back for myself and this is only personal: this topic I find extremely boring.

boring same topic turns up every year before the ''hols'' in UK=GB. Maybe they even copycat that very same article very year. Yes-it can be lots cheaper-IF you know and can play to their rules. never ever question them. Ive flown on at least 30+ in Europe-but around 10 of them have gone bust already. BUT: there is a growing tendency for old-style Eyuro airlines to slowly merge the low-cost concept into their cheapest eco-seats. Latest is Lufthansa, which is to merge with its own daughter, germanwings. Or like Tg that has either given up on unprofitable short domestic routes to NOK-also a daughter. In the US f.e. UAL has TED (or had, I cannot keep up with all of that) and has shrunk its ''service'' in domestic to near same level as EASy or the like: pay for food, pay for check luggage, pay for assigned advance seat, etc. BTW; IN Europe the East_Eur low-costs usually offer better value for money as even RYAN, like WIZZair or Air|Baltic

Very same-same as for you: same time, same cost, NOT on entry-of course not,the tipical Indian burocarts will need their way (mainly to make sure its not a Paki terrorist in hiding-their utmost biggest fear). So combine and hiot 2 with same nail. I very much doubt if the tipical or slightly untipical Thai MB/BF will like it, there seems to be an eternal disgust between these 2 rice-eating Asian nations.

some addenda: 1.VISUM cost when done yourself is about 850/900 THB, and colect NEXT day afternoon, not 3d day. Som cases can pay more for speedier prcess (same day). 2. there is now (TT/on LP forum) a kind of regular bank-style exchange IN RGN airport, which gives very close to regular rate (the yearlong 6,5 KYat/$ has been scrapped-sometimes hat IMF also does good things) of about 810/820. I think-check yourself, that it is now even posted on sites like xe. 3. Taxi airpt-city can be bargained down to 5US$. Most of the cars are 2nd hand ex Japan (easy to see) and hence once made for LH drive. 4. most important to heed: many traveller reports now all warn that TOWN IS FULL and the age old system of just walk along and find something will lead to disappointment. Prices are also reported to have skyrocketed. For daily life things expect prices to be roughly the same as in TH-if compared in a neutral currency like US$ or €. Except for the railways, there is no real foreigner pricing. ACCESS to many of the more rural parts is still just as restricted as it always used to be.

THIS ALSO has been adressed-around 1/1 of this year and is now resolved. It (as I understand it) even negotiations with TRUE had to be done to remove some blocks (or so-I am no geek to know precisely about all those things). And of course besides SGT-which as others before me have also rightly mentioned has tremendously improved, there is that very own private site of GB, khun GayButton, definitely with a Pattaya twist, but without any ads or indecent foto's. And seriously enough for most. In bisnis it always seems to me that when 3 compete, 1 of those eventually, sooner or later, folds down and I am afraid its quite clearly this board. Even without it being taken over by 1 of the others

air asia also flies-am pretty sure have paid less as that for a no-frills flight and JET** Singapore. BTW- PGHIllippine AirAsia seems to be banned by the EU-so expect loads+more of anxius remarks and questions about perceived unsafetiness.

also assuming you may mean Poona? Puna?. Thats MUCH closer by to Bumbay=now Mumbai, which has several direct flights ex BKK (JET and Indigo or iNDIAN). Mumbai-Poona is by hourly bus or fast train (by Indian stdd)-about 4-5 hrs. For general info re most/nearly all trainsystems in this world-with links to schedules& al that and pix of how sleepers look like: seat61.com. This site is however VERY pro-train and omits any negative that also can often be said about those iron roosters. Will also explain how to book online-if that is possible at all. for low-budget flight links (I guess Poona will have its own tiny airstrip): whichbudget.com. or general sites like skyscanner or skytrax. or amadeus.net (do NOT use the booking option-find teh timetables per week) to check just what links there are. Might be prudent to consult a doctor to see if more is needed ro innoculations etc. as just going to TH, certaily if this is your 1st time going there. And you DO need a visum-taking a very burocratic processing with 4-5 days to issue. and a final warning re DEL: it does have a brand new INTernational airport-now even with a railink to its metro, but it still is often fog-bound in the right season, leading to eternal delays and reroutings.

in THAT soi it cannot be an issue at all. even more aimed at farang bringing in partners as around Silom. There is Albury, Hero, banana,Bed, Qbar (notorious pickup ar for ''hiso'') cheap charlie and much, much more. But do be aware that this area is even more farangland as Silom and around-and not for the best.

well, this is sadly one aspect where living -when in BKK- out of that Silom clone-zone, has its disadavantge. Never mind that inquisitive, not that pretty LB in the local 7 (have choice of about 20+ se-hwens closeby) who is till trying to find out my country by using every imaginable Eurpopean language. It is the evening and late night most obnoxious, never ever taking a firm NO as an answer, chasing after any white male, long-fingered, high-pitched, shady as hell, pickpocket lookalike LBs around in my area. Plus the batches of far too young 15/16 yr old ditto's in the making, that approach you like a gangster hold-up. All enough to let start that same oso bad discrimination if one walks in shady areas in western cities. Spotting a LB gets too much associated with trouble-theft-screaming impolite voices-etc. And never mind the morning after (yes, I get up pretty early-friend has also to tet up and be in class by 8.00) when those not rented out are still chasing after the few left over drunk farang. There are pretty sights too; in the local matayom there is batch of pubescent ditto's in the making- a large group of 20+ or so, with cuddly pink bears on their backpacks etc. The smart, witty and always very welcoming older one, who I see around-at yet another new and better paying position in some restrt or the like. Now that you post this and I start thinking- funny that they only seem to work like mamasan etc in the gogo's aimed at farangs-you never hit them in the local Thai massageshops.

first of all, it hink bekpek-dedicated sites like lonelyplanet or travelfish are more suited to your Q. Answer: it depends-like so often. Yes, you can (still) find 4/5US$ rooms in KH-but you will have to look much harder for them as in Th and most likely then will find them ''full''-taken by long time stayers, also teachers in the coming etc. And of course season plays a large role in that. But by now even in the lowest cost parts of Bkk (think Khaosarn and around) the 4$=120 bt room is nearly gone-200 is about the lowest to find now. For those who like to hack so much on anything cheaper as they stay in; thats the famous ''prison cell'' lookalike, No AC, no own shower, just a bed and a fan inside. You talk abouit hot water-for most thats a rarity, but thats how about any barboy also lioves. In well-known seaside spots these are all gone, it is big cities, esp. CHiangmai-to find that. What KH is much better at as TH are the 20/25US$ rooms-which are quite decent, have AC, TV, roomservice etc-thats about 600/750THB. You may even be able to find lower graded older such rooms for 10/15US$=300/450. The best known cheap-living area in PnPn has gone and is bulldozed down-the Bung Kak Lake. The proposal of TW to try LP/TT is not good-sadly-for cheap rooms. The regular posters there all hack on khaosarn, promote lower Sukhumvit and despise anything cheaper as 500 bt-sad, but thats how things go.Travelfish or the local LP sites (in french or german) are not that bad. From what I remember, in the really low-budget sector food costs more in KH, compared to TH, no 30 bt=1US$ good meals, just a little snack. If cheapness is your main aim, try Laos or North-TH. But then this is a gay site, so most posters also reckon in the general availability of friends to spend some time with. And that does not correspond with cheap rooms.

ola, amigo. 1. best general info for this is on thaivisa.com 2. reportedly in Burma=Myanmar they ONLY do visa for locals and people with permit to stay tehre 3. to India is quite far-4/5 hrs flying and India also wants a visum from you-which cost about 70/80 US$ and takes 5 bisnisdays-handled by a private agency, not by their embassy. 4.to enter either Laos or Camb. you need to pay for a visum at the bordr: resp. 35/laos and 20/Camb. US$ + 1 foto. MY is free-it may give 1 or 3 month to EU-citizens. On thaivisa they say the Thai consul in Penang is much easier to handle with as the embassy in KUL-you can get by daily overnight train BKK-Butterworth opposite Penang).

varies-what else would you have expected as answer? But the basic things have been said by KTose: do not expect too much. Thai are among themselves- very chatty, but when you are advanced enough to understand it, you wonder why you made all that trouble- it is usual even more boring as the average soap on Euro TV. Do NOT expect any type of what we call ''intellectual'' discussion anywhere-not even among university lectors. Also: abandon that euro-way of thinking, it does not work that way in TH. Abandon any wish for any intellectual reasoning-it does not exist. But that does not mean that making contacts is very difficult-it is probably much easier as in EUr. Also becse all that idiot grouping on age, how you look, preference etc. is also very unThai. At populair beachside places, do not really expect many Thai to meet-they only come from afar to work there. One of the most populair islands among young bekpekking farang (Koh Tao) has in fact (psst-no one knows or is supposed to know) many more Burmese workers-many illegal, as Thai.