Ever been scared in Thailand?

[llz]

Wow, Abidismaili, Sadly I did not take notes. However, there was a remarkable series of books about the Thai Gay scene ( I can't recall the exact name but Allan was I think the last name of the author ) that were my bibles.

 

 

"The Men of Thailand" had seven editions from 1987 to 1999 and was really a must-have source of information  ; last edition had three modules : one with general information and hotel listings, one with other venues listings and one with maps.

 

The 8th edition should have been issued in 2001 but this was the time when Purachai was Interior Minister and launched a crack-down on many gay and straight venues, prompting the authors to cancel their project.

 

The authors of the 7th edition were Eric Allyn and Samorn Chaiyana.

[paborn]

Yes! Thank you, these guides were frank but clean. Tremendous amounts of information, I devoured them and wish they had been out before my first trip. I would have made far fewer mistakes.

[Dalewood]

You must have seen quite some changes happening to Bangkok. Was the gay area also in Silom back then? Was the traffic also as chaotic as it is now? I assume it all felt far less crowded than it does now? Where there already many high rise buildings and a layout that doesnt look planned at all to me. It is utter chaos.  You can see that in Google maps, you can't make any sense of it. I think back then Thailand was much poorer, how did this reflect/show in Bangkok in 1982? What was the short time price? Which bars from 1982 do still exists now? Did you need a visa in 1982 or like now we could just enter and get a stamp? No need to arrange beforehand a visa?

 

I would love if some long time travellers wrote down how it was like so long ago. The boys you had sex with in 1982 are now around 60 year old!  

 

500 baht would keep the boys happy for Long Time, which was about $18 US if I recall correctly. I believe my favorite guest house on Pattayaland  1 was about B350/night.. You could get a plate of pork fried rice for B10 from a street vendor. I can not remember drink prices in the bars.

[vinapu]

500 baht would keep the boys happy for Long Time, which was about $18 US if I recall correctly.

I wonder what was purchasing power of 18 USD  in USA back in 1982  and how it translates to today's dollars

 

When considering that we may discover that those  500 Baht  nor 18 USD  is not that far from what  makes boys  happy nowadays.

 

How much flight cost then converted to today's dollars ? I bet it was much , much more than what we pay those days.

 

It's easy to get carried by low nominal numbers but we should remember that inflation did her job  in those 36 years.

[Jimbillp]

18 US DOLLARS in 1982 would be about $48 now. So on exchange rate of today would be about 1500 baht. Of course you also have exchange rates changing and inflation varies in different sectors.

[PeterRS]

The Gay areas were the same. Bars change, names change. Perhaps the best bar was Barbiery on Suriwongse road in the line of shops that are the bulk between the two alleys that lead back to Suriwongse hotel.

 

Unless my memory is incorrect (perfectly possible) I thought Barbiery only opened in around 1985/6. It was located on the first floor of a building directly opposite Soi Twilight. The original Twilight bar on Soi Twilight was definitely open in 1982.  It changed its name and its layout around 2000 to Hotmale. Before then it was much more of a sleaze bar run by two ageing mamasans. Nudity was very common every night. I dont remember any other bar in Soi Twilight but perhaps that is just because Twilight was my regular.

 

For a time Silom Soi 4 had the smaller Apollo Bar on the right near the end with a catwalk down the middle. Like Twilight, the boys danced nude from around 10.00. Apart from the gay Rome dance club where Jupiter 2018 is now located, I do not remember any other bar on that soi. Telephone did not arrive until around 1990. In Patpong 2 there was a host bar above where Screwboy now is but I cannot remember its name.There was also a host bar close to the entrance of the Ambassador Hotel on Sukhumvit. I am sure there were quite a few more. Others have written about the Stockholm sleaze bar near the bottom of now up market Luangsan. InterMustache House was also open around that time but it seemed to cater more for Thais and it was quite a trek to get out fo Sukhumvit Soi 10.

 

I tipped 500 baht in the early 1980s. Cannot recall the off fee. In the 1980s and 1990s until the Asian Economic Crisis the baht was fixed to the US dollar at $1 = 25 baht. I remember the tip remained constant through the early 1990s. Do not recall the off fees.

 

Traffic in the early 1980s was bad. No Skytrain. No subway. No elevated highways. Just buses and tuktuks. Getting a hotel car to to Don Muang for a flight out you had to allow at least 2 hours. Many arriving travellers booked the THAI minibuses instead of buses or a limousine. These seated around 12 and would take you right to your hotel. The problem was that they stopped at the hotels for all the passengers. If you lived in the Surwong, Rose or Montien Hotels, you might have to make 5 or 6 other stops first.

 

Saunas arrived around 1984/5. Volt, Obelisks and later Heaven and a few others attracted a nice young crowd. Then Babylon opened at its old location at the top of Soi Nanta on the corner of Sathorn Soi 1 around 1990. Chakran off Soi Aree arrived later in the 1990s and was initially a great place for farang to meet Thais. Now it seems to be only for Thais and other Asians. I think it was also the first one to have nude nights when they partitioned off the large jacuzzi pool, the showers and the large dark steam room where towels would not be allowed.

 

Do not remember when gay massage spas opened, probably around the same time as Babylon. V Club in its own building on Soi Aree was a favourite because it often had some models as masseurs. Albury arrived in 1996 in its first location on Suk Soi 13. In Babylon there was a room with a largish bed just off the coffee shop where I had several lovely massages with Khun Gung. Interestingly, Babylon had live entertainment with a guitarist or pianist/singer at the week-ends. Seems it took a leaf out of the old Continental Baths in New York where Bette Midler, Barry Manilow and Gloria Gaynor were on the roster of regular entertainers.

 

I am sure there were more around before then. For a year or two there were two in Korea Town on Sukhumvit between around Suk 8 and 10.

[spoon]

Impressive trip down a memory lane by PeterRS! I havent even borned yet in 1982, so your recollection of the scene back then is definitely new to me. Thanks for sharing!

[chillout]

Looks like this thread is digressing...

 

To steer it back somewhat, when crossing busy roads, I always raise up one hand to the traffic and generally motorists will slow down. This works even in busy KL.

 

As for my own scary experience, it is more of a supernatural kind. Not sure if this is within the intended ambit of this thread and trigger another digression, but anyways, here goes....

 

It was about 20 years ago. I returned to my hotel room one evening after dinner to pick up something and when I opened the door, noticed the tv was turned on to a Thai channel. I thought it odd since I had would not have left the tv on when leaving the room and more so on a Thai channel. Nevertheless, I proceeded to pick up whatever I came for and went back out.

 

One of my friends who was waiting in the corridor when I entered my room later mentioned to me something that spooked me. This friend has what you call a ‘third eye’ ability, that is, the ability to see supernatural beings. He told me later what he saw as I opened the room door. There were 2 kids on the bed watching tv. As soon as I opened the door, he caught a glimpse of the kids looking towards me and as though caught red-handed, they immediately floated towards the window and out through the window.

 

When he told me that, I was terrified. I had been staying in that room for the past few nights without incident. And that was to be my last night before I caught an early morning flight back home the next day.

 

My friend (and his partner) offered to host me in their room that night. I accepted, and told them I needed to go back to the room and just pack up my stuff. So we went back to my room and they followed. This time, there was nothing unusual. However, my third-eye friend followed me into the room, and upon peeking into the bathroom, noticed a lady peeking back at him through the drawn shower curtain from the long bath. He did not tell me this immediately, but only mentioned it after we had left the room and were in his room.

 

That was terrifying for me. I now make it a point to knock on the door or ring the door bell before entering a hotel room for the first time upon check in, not to mention bringing along my rosary and holy water.

[Londoner]

Look both ways, even in one-way roads like Pattaya Second Road. I nearly met my maker when a powerful, falang -driven motorbike sped out of a soi, towards the traffic, when I was crossing over to  Big C.

[paborn]

Unless my memory is incorrect (perfectly possible) I thought Barbiery only opened in around 1985/6. It was located on the first floor of a building directly opposite Soi Twilight. The original Twilight bar on Soi Twilight was definitely open in 1982.  It changed its name and its layout around 2000 to Hotmale. Before then it was much more of a sleaze bar run by two ageing mamasans. Nudity was very common every night. I dont remember any other bar in Soi Twilight but perhaps that is just because Twilight was my regular.

 

Peter, your memory is much better than mine. I jumbled the early days from 1982 to early nineties together. I have no Idea when specific places opened or closed.

[ChristianPFC]

A few times over 5 years.

 

On Phratamnak hill Pattaya at night (looking for street trade), suddenly being surrounded by dogs.

In Bangkok Saranrom at night, being followed and attacked by a drunk who wanted money.

Several bee stings when out in the countryside. They come unexpected, and you don't know if there will be more, and which area is safe.

[vinapu]

 I have no Idea when specific places opened or closed.

 

not that it matters much, if they are still operating , we have them. If they closed, no tears will bring them back likely

[PeterRS]

if they are still operating , we have them. If they closed, no tears will bring them back likely

 

Too true. Sadly!