ChristianPFC

He was sitting with friends in the Bamboo bar in Jomtien and I was walking towards the beach and they waved to me and as I read that Bamboo bar is one of the gay venues in Jomtien I went to have a chat. No customers in the bar, no off-fee. I was naive, why not let him come with me for free? Finally, he turned out helpfull as I didn't know how to get to the Buddha hill, so all I had to do is to tell him where I would like to go and he got two motorbike taxis to get us there. Then I asked him to take me to Sunee (as I haven't been there before and wanted to check it out at daylight before going there at night), and from there I went to my hotel in Boyztown. I made several hints that I now know the way can go alone now but he didn't leave me. Finally, the penny dropped that he was wating for a tip. To avoid discussion of what "go for free" means and disappointment I gave him 500 Baht and his reactions showed me that this was what he was waiting for. I consider the afternoon and the money well spent. During all my web-reading about gay Thailand I never came across "go for free".

Data from my holdiay in Bkk 7 days and Pattaya 3 days in January (I write down every Baht I spend and for what I spend it and with whom, so later I can read again an prepare for the next holiday) average expenses per day: Accommodation: 1300 (will be cheaper next time) Food: 700 (I eat mainly food from stree sellers, the 700Baht average includes some fine dining with a friend which costs around 300 for each of us per meal) Taxis/Tuk Tuk/Baht Bus/MRT/BTS: 400 Bar drinks (Gogo bar drinks, parties with friend in Thai4Thai gay disco): 500 Tips/ShortTime/LongTime: 600 (I went home alone more often then not, this has to change!) Drinks/Alcohol/Booze/Liters: (expenses includes above) for me only water, Coke and various fruit juices and shakes, for friends about 2L of beer and 2L of whisky for the whole 10 days Massage: 450 Miscellaneous (in my case clothes for me, cinema for us, internet-cafe negligable, mobile phone negligable, sauna, sightseeing, various other small expenses): 500 about 4500 Baht per day spending in Thailand

I had a boy from GR in Pattaya (he worked in a bar some years ago, he told me) overnight and tipped him 1500 (in addition to paying all meals, transportation, cinema of course), he seemed very happy as he wrote several SMS the next day (where I am, if I have a boy, if I go home alone). I might add the "go with you for free" fee is 500Baht. I was walking at Jomtien in the early afternoon when a boy from bamboo-bar waved me over and asked if he could go with me for free. I was puzzled about this offer, but given the choice of walking alone or with him I accepted. After some walking at the beach we went to the big Buddha-statue where he explained to me the funtions of the various buildings there. Very interesting. Then in Pattaya I walked back to my hotel and and made several hints that I don't need his company any more but he still followed me. (I just wanted company for some hours in town, obviously he wanted to go to my hotel room for more.) Finally, the penny dropped. I asked him if he needs money to get back and gave him 500 Baht, he asked for one more (100Baht bill) but I declined. Just to check if "I love you so much" was meant seriously I looked back and saw him boarding the next baht-bus, without looking back.

Yes, the gay scene is small. I prepared my last holiday on gayromeo and after one night in Silom I got two messages from members who recognized me, but I didn't see them despite the fact that I'm looking for people I know when I'm there. Another friend told me later that he saw me with someone and that he was with someone as well. When I check my Thai friends' friends on facebook, I sometimes recognise someone I saw in DJ or on gayromeo. The other way round as well: in DJ I see someone I didn't met before but I saw his profile on facebook or gayromeo.

I always carry it with me when I'm on holiday in Thailand and I have a copy in my hotel room. I experience the same problem as cdnmatt: there is some wear and tear. I only need it for hotel check-in and at the airport.

Very interesting topic! (Unfortunately, I can't make any usefull contribution, maybe after some more holidays in Thailand.)

Let's hope the situation doesn't change to the worse and everybody (Expats, Tourists, Thais) stops laughing, but for the moment, I have these two jokes: "Red Shirt? Yellow Shirt? Depends on what goes better with my pants." (Not my idea, from http://toogaybangkok.blogspot.com/) "Red Shirt? Yellow Shirt? I don't care. My hotel room is no-shirt-zone!" Does anyone have more?

My experiences were mainly positive, exept some that didn't want to use the meter, I just went on to the next (short trips in Bkk). I went from Pattaya to Bkk airport and booked two days in advance (as is suggested by the taxi-booking-stalls on the street). Later, I remembered what I read (and experienced) about Thai puncutality and thought I should have booked it earlier to leave enough time. But when I left hotel 15min before the booked leaving time he was already there. As far as I remember the whole trip was 1100Baht, 600Baht had to be paid in advance (when I made the booking). I think I will go by bus next time. Is considerably cheaper and doesn't take much longer.

I guess the only case when people enter a higher age is when they are under 18. I have two friends (>20 and >40 years old) who make themselves younger on gayromeo. Actually, my Asian friend really looks younger, whereas I was suspicious about the age (on gayromeo) of my German friend. If you are age < 18: add some years, age > 18: subtract some years. From time to time, I come across a profile pictures that I've seen somewhere in the net before. In some cases, I even remember where and can check if I'm right. The record was a photo I saw half a year later, and I still knew I saw this photo before!

My (limited) experiences with mamasans are slightly positive so far. Although I don't understand why I get a place allotted upon entering the bar, it was usually ok, only in one case I later noticed that another place gives a better vantage point and I asked if I could move over which was ok. No problems with pestering, a polite but firm "No" was always enough to get rid of him/her. There are encounters whose entertaining value is arguable. Mamasan sits down next to me asks me which boy I like and as there is no-one who catches my eye I give an elusive answer which leads to the usual discussion: "Do you want him? Young boy, big cock, can do everything, or him, ..." finally "or do you want me?" with both of us laughing. Or one case, where mamasans hand moved upwards from my knee to my crotch and finally a disappointed "What is this?". (I thought this was all, but when he/she started kneading I had to remove his/her hand gently.) I can laugh about this, maybe others don't find it funny. I don't think they are useless, although if the bar-owner trained some of the boys they could do mamasan's job (doorman, waiter, giving advice about boys), but that would probably end in a conflict of interests.

This was my second holiday in Thailand and I read about the scene and I visited some bars in Bkk and Pattaya before and had some boys sitting with me. I would never grope a boy in a bar or in public, only put my hand on his knee or shoulder in the bar and even this is only to improve understanding during conversation ;-). I read somewhere it is acceptable not to buy a drink, but to tip the boy instead. citing z909 "well they often don't touch the drink that is purchased." That leads to the idea: They re-use the drink for the whole evening! No infatuation, no hope of friendship or relationship with this boy (he is not gay!). That's not what I'm looking for in bar. I think we got to the core of the matter: that the call was set up. Why and how, we will never find out. Thanks to anyone for their contribution. I hope the next time will be more successful @gaybutton: I remember my second vitit in a bar in Bkk in January. Mamasan told me she remembered me (maybe she tells everyone and is right most of the time) and recommended the same boy she recommended on my first visit in August!

@doug Bar closes at 2am, so I went there shortly before in order not to disturb any customers, but there were none left, the boys were dressing and leaving. The whole whisky-story might sound strange, but I don't drink and I was leaving for the airport the next morning so I was thinking what to do with the bottle, and giving it to him was the fastest and easiest way (even though I'm a teetotaller, I wouldn't pour alcohol away). The boy did not know what we were going to do (well, even I didn't know what to do with this first off, although I had some ideas, definitely long-time and maybe even spend the next day together) nor how much I would tip him. I guess any boy is happier with 100Baht tip instead of a drink. Buy drink and tip? I'm not sure, they are not thirsty, the drink is only a hidden form of tip, therefore I skip the drink. He didn't get any calls while we were walking as far as I remember, or they were very short. I think I offed him around 1:30 and we were in town for about one hour. We didn't go to other bars, what's the point of going to other bars if you have a boy? No sitting and drinking in my hotel room, just going to toilet, brush teeth or use mouthwash (I don't remember), sat down on his side (on my bed, he was still watching TV), whe the call took place. Citing Gaybutton: "might have inadvertently said or done something to upset the boy without realizing he had done so." I was hoping to get an explanation with an inter-cultural misunderstanding or something you don't do when in Thailand. I'll see if he is still there in summer, maybe I meet other boys, maybe I don't fancy him any more. I even have his phone number and took three photos of him in Walking street (I asked him before if it's ok, however, he crossed his arms before his belly so it looks as if he's a bit unconfortable).

Thanks for your responses. I didn

I was in Pattaya in January for holiday and offed a boy from a bar in boyztown, my first offing. I had him sit with me first (no drink, I tipped him 100Baht instead) and came back later to pay the bar fine and take him with me (I was not sure at first). We didn’t discuss short or long stay or what he does, as this was my first offing I just wanted to see how things develop. Mamasan told me that he forgot his ID-card, but he had a copy so we went to my hotel to check if copy is ok. It was, but I wanted to enjoy his company outside of bed, so we went for a walk in Pattaya (about 1h) and chatted a bit, his English was limited, but he understood what I said. He is not gay. (I: “Do you like boys or girls?” He: “I like girls”) When we were back at my hotel, he switched on the aircon and TV, I went to the bathroom and just when I wanted to start undressing him Mamasan called him and soon he reached me his phone and Mamasan told me that he has to go back now because mother is in hospital and he has to visit her the following morning. I paid him 500Baht (that was all I had left at the time, I went to money change the following morning and had planned to pay him after inviting him for breakfast and changing money) and said goodby. The closest we got was when I put my hand on his shoulder in the bar. Two days later my stay in Pattaya ended and I had a bottle of whisky (Johnny Walker red label for about 700Baht) left (which I bought with a Thai friend for a night in NAB, but I don’t drink at all and he drank only a bit). I didn’t know what to do with it, so I went to his bar at 1:55am and asked for him, it was his day off but Mamasan called him and he arrived some minutes later on his motorbike. I gave him the bottle and said goodby. What I would like to know: Was the forgotten ID-card and Mamasan’s call a Thai way of saying “No” (to whatever) with saving face or do things like this really happen? Is it ok to give opened bottles as a gift? Should I take him again on my next holiday and hope we can proceed further? (In case this is important: I’m only ten years older than he and I showered and brushed my teeth before I went bar-hopping.)

Oh yes, the beachvolleyball! I was a bit disappointed by the gay beach, but then I walked further north until I reached the beachvolleyball field. Wwhere exactly is it? gwm4sian writes "Water Park", I remember a high tower with a cable car and a rollercoaster. Does anyone know, what this is called or knows a website of this institution? Anyway, this was a sight to behold! I would pay money for watching Thai boys in swimmwear play beachvolleyball. I arrived at around 6pm, half an hour later the sun set and they were still playing (this was in January), means (contrary to my initional post) I was there at night but didn't notice anything special on my way back around 7pm).

I was in Bkk and Pattaya for holiday in January and a Thai friend didn't want to accompagny me to the gay beach in Jomtien/Dongtan during day because he was afraid of getting tanned and warned me "Gay beach not good at night". I asked why, but his response was not conclusive. I had not time to check myself. Can someone tell me what's going on on the gay beach at night?

@ heygay: Where is this place? There is an illness called non specific urethritis (NSU), also called non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU). All I know about it is from RICE QUEEN DIARY I got involved in activities of this kind in January (when I was in Bkk for holiday) and about two weeks later, my foreskin started itching. I went to a sexual health clinic and the nurse there suspected a fungus infection. However, treatment with a cream didn't help. A week later, the results from tests came back. It was not a sexually transmitted disease, just a bacteria infection of skin cracks. I got a prescription of a penicillin-based antibiotic and the itching disappeared within two days.

Tattoos, piercings (earring is ok) and facial hair (as well as hair on arms, legs, chest) are a turn-off for me. Asians seem to have less facial hair compared to Caucasians, maybe they are proud of the little they have so they don't shave? The problem seems to be the following: the "peachfuzz type beard", which appears on Caucasian men during puberty and lasts only short, appears on Asians later in life and lasts longer. It's a turn-off! But I admit: I shave only twice a week because I'm too lazy (however, when I'm in Thailand for holiday I shave every day), so I can't expect someone else to shave just because I think he looks better without facial hair.

I'm back from my second holiday in Thailand (Bkk and Pattaya) and again I noticed that I received lots of fresh bills when I changed money (as on my first holiday in August). I even noticed lots of new-looking coins. The only explanation is that Thailand prints money. Unless they destroy old bills, increase of the amount of money in circulation should lead to decrease of its value, i.e. inflation. On the other hand, the Euro lost a bit compared to four months ago. So what's going on? Did anyone make similar observations?

I find this post quite usefull, although I don't have the problems described. When I went to Thailand for the first time three months ago, I lurked around in Soi Pratuchai for four days (looking through open doors from the middle of the road or letting touts grab my arm and pull me up to the door of the bar), not sure if I should enter or not. But finally, I went in and watched the shows.

Hello everyone, when I was in Bkk in August I got a SIM-card (1-2-call freedom sim prepaid/pay-as-you-go) for a mobile phone in order to be able to communicate with friends. I will be back in Thailand in January before my number expires (I hope topping up increases the expiring date). But this rises the question: How do I keep my number for a long time (years), when I visit Thailand only occasionally? How do others who regularly go to Thailand for holiday manage to keep their mobile-phone-number without a contract (i.e. without any costs unless you make a call)?

@z909 There is no language barrier, they were quite fluent in English. Next time, money will probably be involved. Can't fly quarter around the globe, pay for a double-bed and have it only 50% occupied (ie sleeping alone) most of the time. @kokopelli If you're a cute Asian and x = 1 or 2 I would be happy to get into contact with your (first per Email, later physically). @colmx I got response by Email from one, saying he lost his phone (with photos of us) some days after I left. Coincidally, I had an chat with him some hours ago. Regarding Ghana: I got a message on Gayromeo from Ghana about a week ago with an interesting offer (not about money), but it's too far away and profile not yet been validated.

Thanks to everyone for their reply. I met most of them in DJ-station (and they were there most days, so I assume they will be there in January) and one in Lumpini-park. Some have no gayromeo-account (at least that's what they told me). There wasn't even a hint of a mentioning of money (I'm 29 years old). They told me they have jobs/university. Next time, maybe I should get a moneyboy to have company during day.

I went to Bkk for holiday in August and made some friends there. I got all their names (Romanized and in Thai), their phone-numbers and their emails. To stay in contact until I will be back in January, I stay in loose contact via MSN, gayromeo, and email. Unfortunately, some of them don't answer my emails. So I have to rely on them having the same number and remembering me when I'm back. Do other members have experience with writing emails with Thais (I know from blogs that reading is not popular with Thais, does this apply to writing as well)? Is there a cultural misunderstanding between having and email and using it for communication (eg if my mother asks me if I have a handkerchief she wants me to use it)? Do Thais keep their mobile numbers for long times (I read that phones are often lost or stolen)?