BKK for Total Newbie

[txtwostep]

Hi all!   I'm taking my first trip to Bangkok in a month and for the first part of the trip I'll be solo.  I've read a lot of the forum articles on here about Bangkok but I'm still a little confused on things and wanted to get some recommendations:

1.  I'm really interested in massage and message with extras.  What are the best places to try out.  I've looked at some websites of places and I see an hourly rate say a 1000 baht.  Is the minimum tip then on top of that?  Do you just go in and pick out someone and tell them what you are looking for and is there a rate quoted?  Where do you store your valuables, etc.

2.  What exactly does "offing" a boy mean?  Is that the price to get him to leave the club and then there's the tip on top of that

3.  I'm staying at the Shangri La hotel which doesn't seem to be that close to the clubs/massage places.  Is there uber in Bangkok or just take a taxi?  Also, I could stay in a different hotel if need be.

4.  I'm assuming everywhere is cash based?

5.  Are there any recommended sex shows to go to?

Sorry for the basic questions and really appreciate any help provided!  Thanks ALL!!

[pong]

Hello (sawasdee khrap in local style), Ive just returned to BKK here, KrungThep, yesterday for about the 99th time or so. Some ideas:

before: there are 2 dediciated fora like this one (one is now even married with this-haha), gayguides.com and sawasdee network, then find the fora. These have your general 1st time Qs about every month and answered-sometimes brusk as it repeats so often. Some ideas about your points:

@1.BKK has 1000s of massageshops, in the touristy Silom neighborhood at least 100. Some of those have only male masseurs and some of these offer or expect that you come for not so much the massage but other things. You always pay the normal fee to the shop (about 5/600 bt for 1 hr of oil msg-thats what you ask for, normal Thai msg is dry and in a kind of hospital gown) and besides that you have to tip your masseur for his extra sevices-often discreetly in the room so others cannot see. Some of the dedicated m2m shops state MIN tips-mostly 1000 bt (about 30 EUR or 33 US$ today), it varies a bit what you can expect for that. The more touristy and renowned the place, the higher the tip. Thus reverse also holds: in suburban BKK are also many such places with local prices and service and no foreign language at all.

There is an excellent blog about all that with more explication: linked in the sawasdee netwk forum and like ´m2m massage Bangkok/thailand´ by one of the moderators of the gayguides site this one is married to. It also has actual listings.

NOTE; here in TH/Bkk places change VERY often, relocate, close down, buildings get torned down, etc. There are tons of listing sites that are much out of date.

@2. this is a copycat of female such bars and these are copycats of the Japanese system: those workers in BARs (thus NOT sauna/shops etc.) must be ´barfined´ to get them out before closing time-mostly this is about 3/500 bt, roughly same price as a drink in these places would cost. You are also more or less expected to sit down first with the guy and offer him a drink (special prices may apply for that) and sometimes even to also ´thank´ the mamasan, who is an intermediate and can translate if so needed. Speaking english (angkrit) is not a special virtue of Thai so adapt to that. Tips for such offs in the Silom rea are now quoted to be mostly like 1500/2000 for short time and 2/3000 for overnight. If you have very specific wishes, make that clear and do not expect that anyone will agree to that-esp. bottoming for you. Also do NOT expect that all guys are gay by nature-the majority are gayforpay. Again the sites I mentioned before have all that info ad extenso.

@3 Uber has been banned here, its called GRAB. Thats most often normal taxi grabbing a fixed ride-prices may even be higher as on the meter. No lack of taxi here-though they have a sign taxiMETER on top (and yes, I know enough Thai and customs to find one that will use it) you wil probably not find them working. At the mo I do not recall where that SL is, so no good idea about how far etc. DO realise that traffic is a general nightmare-to the extent that many taxiś also simply wont take you if they feel it will take too long. Try to get used to transit like BTS=skytrain and the like.

@4. in THIS branch of bisnis, yes. Even if places accept Visa and the like, they will add 3-5% extra for the high fees attached.

PS-on the fora you can also find many tips about current apps and hookup sites that work best-many claim they are also taking over the expensive bisnis model here.

@5. tons, but as I dk you and no idea what you like-again those other sites have very detailed current reports. real SEXY men shows are rare though-its mostly ladyboys lip-synch to very old songs.

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by ducky
typing errors

[TotallyOz]

1. I was at MyHero yesterday and had a nice time. Massage guy named Kon, 35 years old, versatile. Rate for 1.5 hours is 1100 baht to house and minimum 1500 to massage guy.

2. Off means you pay the bar to take the guy out. You negotiate short time or long time. I also do this inside the bar and get things set. Typical for me is 2000 for short and 3000 for long time.

3. Agree with Ducky. Grab is the way to go. Download it on your phone and use it often.

4. Yes

5. Tawan is good. The ones like Lucky Boys are good for a newbie as well.

Other specific questions?

[txtwostep]

@TotallyOz @pong  Hey guys, thanks so much for the info!  This helps a great deal, especially with the basic lingo.  Appreciate the response on what I'm sure has been asked and answered a number of times.  I just couldn't seem to locate those answers!