ChristianPFC

No need to plan, I went to Lopburi, Bueng Gan and Buriram and my contacts organized everything. I wouldn't even book a hotel, either you can stay with him or he will recommend a hotel close to his place. You should give some hints about sightseeing. Car rent should be about 1000 Baht per day (car and driver including petrol). Never been to Korat (only travelling through), but all other trips, eiter alone or visiting friends, were success and welcome break from usual Bangkok/Pattaya. Beware of different sleep-wake pattern (bring a book, in case you wake up at 9 and your friend sleeps until 12), and extended drinking/eating (not of much interest for me to sit for hours while others eat, drink and chat in Thai).

There are printed maps (but not very detailed, as far as I remember resolution 1 to 100,000 or similar for whole Thailand) sold in book shops. I find googlemaps very useful (and let's not forget there is Here by Nokia and Bing by Microsoft and Openstreetmap; however googlemaps seems to have the best coverage). I often ask locals for the way (easy when you walk and speak the language).

I don't drive car or motorbike, I do drive bicycle (when you can rent one, like in Ancient City or Siem Reap or Phonsavan/Xiengkhouang, I don't own one, might try Pun Pun Bike Share in Bangkok some time).

For me, there is not much to do in Pattaya in daytime (a friend however says he finds Bangkok boring and heads to Pattaya directly to the airport), that's why I keep my stays 3 days 2 nights (arrive in the evening, first night, one full day in Pattaya, second night, depart in the afternoon). There are malls, massage, beach, cinema, walking or doing sport around the hill, sometimes I meet farang friends during day. I have been to most tourist attractions in and around Pattaya, a list is here: http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2014/03/daytime-activities-in-pattaya.html

Did you take your bicycle from Thailand to Singapore?

"La Tana" Silom Soi 6 is no more. A pity! I ate there several times, alone or with friends, and I/we were usually happy with their food. Some weeks ago, there was corrugated iron in front of the shop (blocking the view), to separate construction area from public area. Now the restaurant is gone, the vneue looks like massage, and there was traffic of massage boys to and from Thai Prime.

Let me present my condolences for your internet problems. Where I stay now, there are some problems as well, so I can commiserate. I have some flexibility, so I can do something else if internet breaks down for a day (which has happened).

Haven't heard of this bar. Homophobic trucker however is no surprise, a friend worked in the transport business and told me he stayed in the closet towards his colleagues, they would not have accepted him if they knew he was gay. We should wait for confirmation by other members of this forum. Even then, I think it's inappropriate to post a picture of the owner. There is a difference between catering to a certain group (backpacker guesthouse vs. luxury hotel) and discrimination against certain races, religions, sexual orientations.

Same for me. This way I don't spend half a day awake on a plane (10-12 hours flight time from Europe). I watch one movie, have a meal, sleep (but have to get up for stopover somewhere in Arabia, flights with one stop are considerably cheaper than direct flight, anyway there are no direct flights from Berlin to Bangkok). Overall, I watch two movies and spend the rest of the time in a slumber. Another note: eating on a plane in economy class is quite an exercise, not much room to move your arms, look like preying mantis. Writing on a laptop would involve similar awkward arm positions (for economy, if you fly business it might be more comfortable).

Good to know it's available, one day it might even be free. Until that day, I call the price "prohibitive" and anyway, I spend too much time on the internet (most of it not urgent or important), so I enjoy some days without internet from time to time. For me, movies on the plane is enough to keep me entertained.

The word is from bangkokbois blog, and I didn't get it at first and asked if it's a typo. #46: I can see them through the T-shirt. I have honed my skilles, I just need to see a few square centimeter of leg or neck to guess if some is my type, or full body far less than one second. There are a few exceptions, where a boys whose stats are not my type wins me over by character or way he approaches me (I asked my favorite from WWB, he is 52 kg and 157 cm, if I had read these stats on gayromeo, I would have skipped, too fat - or too short or too heavy, whichever way you see it). My posts in this thread are meant to express how wonderful it is that all of us have different preferences, there is someone for everyone. I posted a very few pics of boys I paid for (I can think of only two: Kim from Krazy Dragon 3 or 4 years ago and Tom from Eros this year, after someone else started). But I'm not sure if it's right, I would have to ask them if it's ok and explain to them what these forums are (and then, it wouldn't be much different than posting pictures of stuff I bought at 7/11). So I keep the pictures I take for myself or share with friends when I meet them in person (but enjoy looking at other's pictures like this thread, kind of a contradiction). I won't post pictures of boys who go with me for free.

Some people don't understand my sense of humor. No offense or negativity. I would never pay 3000 Baht for airport transfer, because I could have 3 boys from gayromeo, or eat two weeks, or, or, or. I take the bus instead. But each to his own. If 3000 Baht for airport transfer is "only 3000 Baht" for you, fantastic, count yourself lucky that you can spend that amount without any hesitation for an airport transfer.

I spend enough on my drinks (that should be singular, one drink per bar) in the bars, that's where my support ends. I don't see a need to spend more on boy's drink (but sometimes I do invite a boy for a drink). Your opinion might differ. There is someone for everyone. The blonde massage boy from TukCom/Grindr, I would call these tattoos "hideous" and his mannaries "yuck". But I like the blonde hair. No need for me to tip him out of pity because he has no chance with me, firecat will take care of him.

"I'm using an airport transfer provided by the hotel and only have to pay it for 3000 baht." There is no place for "only" in this sentence. To put 3000 Baht into context, normal Thai people have to work a week for that. Deja vu: MRT to Ladprao station, from the north-east corner of the intersection with Ratchada you can take any bus (they all go past Ladprao Soi 122, you will have to cross Ladprao road).

Chuk wao ชักว่าว literally means "to fly a kite" and is slang for male masturbation. Tipping the boys instead of buying them drinks is the better for them. First they get the full amount of money, and second they don't ruin their health with alcohol or sugar. I offed a boy from Eros twice, both times I could smell in his breath that he had plenty of alcohol (but not drunk yet). When I asked him, he said he doesn't like it, but customers buy him drinks. (On a related note, stickmanweekly reported that some girly bars fill water into girls' drinks' glasses and just wet the rim with alcohol.)

I have heard many good things about Singapore: "Prussia under palm trees", very high taxes for cars (and a good public transport system in exchange, for those who don't own a car), public whipping of people who throw cigarette butts on the floor (ok, I made that up). The only negative thing I can think of is laws regarding homosexuality and caning. Singapore is on my list of countries to visit for a visa run, but first I have to find a way to stay there on less than 2000 THB per day.

For sauna, you just have to pay entry (I don't know of any form of prostitution going on in gay saunas in Thailand). All saunas have lockers, and they seem to be safe. Break the 1000 Baht notes down as soon as possible, best at 7/11 or restaurant or somewhere else with good light. It's important to have correct change to avoid being shortchange or having to wait because they don't have change.

There is someone for everyone, a boy you find unattractive might be someone else's dreamboy. If nobody offed him, he would move on and find work elsewhere. I applaud firecat for his generosity. But I keep my money for boys I fancy and have interaction with. In the end, if boys have no customers, it's their wrong choice of place and time of work.

Same owner as Vassa bar. Mamasan/Doorman tells everyone who walks past. However I am not a fan of moving boys between two bars (I think this is the case between X-Boyz and X-Boyz Land, if you don't have enough boys to operate two bars, close one! - the only explanation I have for low number of boys in X-Boyz some times I walked past). Don't know if that's the case for Vassa / New Lucky 7.

First stop should be Soi 4 to pick up copies of gay magazines / maps, those will answer questions of where to go and how to find these places. As far as I know, "gay shows" in gogo bars are discontinues due to current political situation. But there is something much better, what I call "interactive fuck show" at Deja Vu Sauna (Ladprao Soi 122, a bit a way from Silom/Sathorn) every Thursday: their staff naked party. It's genuine (contrary to Soi Twilight, after seeing one or two you will notice the performers are bored because they do this every night and if you take a closer look, you will notice they wrap a piece of plastic around the base of their penis to stay hard - a total turn-off for me) and you can look from close and even participate. Details here: http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2013/12/deja-vu-sauna-ladprao-122.html http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2013/12/dejavu-sauna-ladprao-122.html http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2013/12/dejavu-sauna-ladprao-122-3rd-visit.html

Hero or Farose, that's comparing apples with bananas. I don't think Hero is a must, but there are many who swear by that place (I went only once, and just for drink and a look). But if you are into muscular boys and luxury (read: expensive), you will like it. Hero is a massage place where you pay for massage (and maybe more), Farose is a sauna. Actually 2 saunas, Farose 1 in Saphan Khwai and Farose 2 in Ramkhamhaeng. I wouldn't recommend any of them for newcomers. Farose 1 was dirty and dilapidated when I visited some years ago. Farose 2 is comparable in size to Babylon, but far out and mainly Thai. Another significant difference: Babylon empties around 9 pm and closes around 10 pm, Farose gets busy from 11 pm and highest activity is around midnight to 1 am. I made a detailed post here: http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2013/11/farose-2-sauna-ramkhamhaeng.html

My favorite Bangkok bus map (and I have had a look at all that are available): http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2014/01/bangkok-bus-guide.html I have not seen Bangkok bus maps anywhere outside Thailand. Apart from a few spots where taxi drivers refuse to use the meter, I have no complaints about taxi drivers. Standing in a full bus without aircon in traffic jam is no pleasure, but usually bus rides are fine, and I rarely take taxi any more now. I would not recommend buses for newcomers.

Going alone is fine. I always go alone to saunas, because I think their purpose is to find company (if I have company, I go to a room). If you don't find company, there is still time to go to Silom (Babylon empties from 9 pm and closes around 10 pm). As a newcomer, unless you stay in the area and can walk, it's best to go by taxi.

Don't worry, it will turn out as following: boy 1 is back in his home province, you cannot reach boy 2 on phone or internet, boy 3 asks for an unreasonable tip before you even met and boy 4 is busy with study/work/other farang. But there are plenty of opportunities to meet boys in real life!

Tour guide or not depends on your priorities. If you don't want to spend time to prepare your trip or lose time traveling and don't mind an extra expense, hire one! I started on my own, found out everything alone or from internet or from friends, and now travel, eat and stay mostly alone and by local standards.