Guest manc1 Posted January 23, 2009 Posted January 23, 2009 Hey guys! - First time poster here so Hello everyone. First off just to say I have read a few threads, but I'm sorry if I ask anything thats been answered before somewhere else. I been to Malaysia a few times, had some good times (nothing sexual) - and seen most of the Country. Now on my next trip to Asia I fancy spending some time in Thailand, maybe two weeks to start with - my last trip to Malaysia was for a Month. I will be honest! My motives are as much about seeing some of the Country/culture as enjoying the locals if you get what I mean :lol Now my first concern is that, and I'm not getting this from anything I have read here btw, its just I dont want to be taking advantage of these lads, and it is a concern of mine that I'm not - and they do what they do because they want to - and there is something else they could be doing but chose to do this. That might not make much sense, and I dont want to offend anyone here, but do you know what I mean? Other than that its general advice for a first time visitor please, where would you go for a first trip, places to meet fellow farangs for advice/community etc Any help is very welcome - thanks! Quote
Guest laurence Posted January 23, 2009 Posted January 23, 2009 do you know what I mean? Sorry, manc1, but I have no idea what you mean. Can you be more specific? Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 23, 2009 Posted January 23, 2009 I also don't know what you mean. What do you want to know that isn't covered in the threads you have already read? Simply asking for advice for a first time visitor is far too general. Quote
Guest Posted January 23, 2009 Posted January 23, 2009 Other than that its general advice for a first time visitor please, where would you go for a first trip, places to meet fellow farangs for advice/community etc Any help is very welcome - thanks! Hello & welcome. You want to see some of the country, so start off in Bangkok. See a fine city, with some fine temples & other sights. Then visit the gogo bars & "off" a money boy. He'll be very happy to spend time with you, don't worry about that. The following site has maps of the gay attractions in a few cities. http://spicemag.net/ Pattaya is well supported on the various Gay Thailand forums. I like it myself too, but it's main attractions are the night life & the beach. From your first post, maybe that's not quite what you are looking for? Quote
Guest RichLB Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 If I understand your question correctly, you are concerned with the possiblity of exploiting the younger Thai guys who work in the sex industry. I appreciate your concern, but I think your fears are groundless. My view is that the guys who work in the go go bars are well schooled by the peers in the ways of farang - from the sensitive ones like you to the boorish. They are skilled in protecting their self esteem and egos. Some may appear to be being forced by circumstances to enter the sex trade, but if they are being forced at all to do so, it is by their desire to make more money than other alternatives present. Jobs are plentiful here - at least in Pattaya - but rarely pay what a guy can make in the sex/service industry. Also, be aware that the boys who work in the bars are not required to go with any farang they choose not to. If they go with you (and I've rarely heard of a case where one would not) it is because they want to. Don't forget, these guys are young and have the same hormone factory churning away in their bodies as you did when you were their age. At that age I would have most probably happily gone with anybody who showed me attention and promised an orgasm. These guys aren't much different. Sex is fun, and getting paid to cum certainly doesn't make the experience any the less pleasurable. True, you might not be their ideal sex partner - they might like women more, prefer their own age, respond better to katoey, etc. - but at that age (or any other most probably) who doesn't like having sex? Couple all that with the Thai view of sex - different from the west where we equate sex with love, Thais see sex (I think) as a recreational activity. Gay sex, while not as "accepted as many of us farang like to think it is, does not carry with it the same onus as we are used to. Additionally, Thais don't seem to attach the same value on physical appearance as we Westerners do. To them, in my opinion, it is the quality of your heart and/or your ability to be a fun person. You will also discover that there are as many views on how to relate to Thai guys as there are farang. You will hear everything from "they are prostitutes and should be treated as sex machines only" to "they are desperate people forced by poverty into a life they would never choose." My view is they are just like me and doing what they do because they want to and enjoy it. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 its just I dont want to be taking advantage of these lads, and it is a concern of mine that I'm not - and they do what they do because they want to - and there is something else they could be doing but chose to do this I think this is a roundabout way of saying he'd like to meet some gay guys but not those who make their living in bars because that's the only way they can make money etc.. As to finding guys here, just walk along the street with a smile on your face and you'll usually have little trouble making eye contact. As to seeing the country, in 2 weeks you don't want to pack in too much if you want to allow time to get to know some locals. So some initial suggestions - 1. Bangkok. It's not everyone's favourite city on this site, but you have to see it. Wherever you stay, get to the Skytrain Saphan Thaksin station, take the river boat up to the stop near the Royal Palace and then spend a couple of hours looking around the extraordinary Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace. Nearby are Wat Po and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. There are dozens of other temples, but my favourite is the almost symmetrical Marble Temple - Wat Benchamabopitr near Dusit Park. Within the park is the lovely Vimanmek Mansion, a Palace built entirely of teak. Have a look at the old colonial quarter around the Oriental hotel. Take the Skytrain to National Stadium, walk to the end of Soi Kasemsan and take a tour round the Jim Thomson Museum. It's a few teak houses brought down from the north, is one of the loveliest small museums and only takes an hour or so. The Queen's Gallery is also worth a look. At night, wander to Silom Sois 2 and 4 and decide which bar you like. Have a look at Soi Twilight off Suriwong, eat at Dick's Cafe and watch the touts and the eye candy. And take a traditional Thai massage somewhere - but not at the gay massage places. 2. Pattaya A must-see, although it's brash and very commercial. I'll leave those posters who live there to recommend what to do, but an afternoon on the gay beach is a must. 3. Chiang Mai I really like the old northern capital. It's much more laid back than Bangkok, it has some glorious temples, nice boutique hotels now offering big reductions - Ratchamankha, U Hotel, Tamarind Village to mention just 3. Take a trip up to the temple at Doi Suthep, see an orchid 'farm' - the waterfalls are sadly somewhat depleted at this time of year. Take a day trip to see some of the northern hill tribes. 4. Older Thailand If you are in that part of the country, I am told Sukhothai is beautiful - more so than the old capital in Ayutthya which is much closer to Bangkok. 5. Phuket or Samui I prefer Phuket's beaches, but would probably give the islands a miss if you are not interested in sun and sand. Quote
Guest manc1 Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 Thanks guys for the replies RichLB hit it on the head Any scams to watch out for? What things do you guys wish you knew on your first visit you do now? Quote
Guest laurence Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 Thanks guys for the replies RichLB hit it on the head Any scams to watch out for? What things do you guys wish you knew on your first visit you do now? Scams? Well don't fall for "I love you", 'send me money". Don't trust mamasans regarding age of the "bois" . Quote
KhorTose Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 You forgot to tell him not to buy any Buffaloes, and Grandma probably did not die. The main purpose of any scam is to get money out of you. So no matter how much he loves your bald head and love handles, if he is asking for money---beware. I am surprised that having been in Malaysia you have not run into these schemes before. Thais are clever, as well as, fantastically handsome, but there are only so many new things in the world of human relationships. Trust your instincts, and you will be okay. Quote
Guest MonkeySee Posted January 25, 2009 Posted January 25, 2009 Scams? Well don't fall for "I love you", 'send me money". Don't trust mamasans regarding age of the "bois" . Good advice for a newcomer. Do not fall for "love at first sight." Better to rent your love, rather than buy it. Have fun, be generous and enjoy amazing Thailand. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted January 25, 2009 Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks guys for the replies RichLB hit it on the head Any scams to watch out for? What things do you guys wish you knew on your first visit you do now? Don't let Tuk Tuks in BKK take you anywhere that you haven't already decided you want to go. They are notorious for taking you to a different hotel or shop than you want telling you "closed" or "finish". Always agree on fare before you get in tuk tuk. Be sure taxis use the meter or don't get in. Quote
Guest manc1 Posted January 25, 2009 Posted January 25, 2009 You forgot to tell him not to buy any Buffaloes, and Grandma probably did not die. The main purpose of any scam is to get money out of you. So no matter how much he loves your bald head and love handles, if he is asking for money---beware. I am surprised that having been in Malaysia you have not run into these schemes before. Thais are clever, as well as, fantastically handsome, but there are only so many new things in the world of human relationships. Trust your instincts, and you will be okay. I have friends in Malaysia, locals, who used to work with me in London a few years back - these guys look out for me when I visit - but always make Thailand out to be a bad place - but I want to see for myself. Quote
Guest Steve1903 Posted January 25, 2009 Posted January 25, 2009 Much as I like to support the cabbies worldwide, the Thai cabbies do have a habit of wanting to take you to places you didnt want to go to. Hotel closed for refurbishment or temple closed on a Thursday etc are a common ruse. Be firm - but polite all the same. Quote
Guest MonkeySee Posted January 26, 2009 Posted January 26, 2009 Much as I like to support the cabbies worldwide, the Thai cabbies do have a habit of wanting to take you to places you didnt want to go to. Hotel closed for refurbishment or temple closed on a Thursday etc are a common ruse. Be firm - but polite all the same. Firm and polite and with a smile. If they do not turn on the meter, get out of the cab. I have found flagging a cabbie off the street better than one waiting outside your hotel or along Silom Road. Tuk tuks ok for the experience, but usually taxis are just as cheap and they are air conditioned. I hate breathing the fumes of Bangkok in the back of a tuk tuk. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted January 26, 2009 Posted January 26, 2009 Tuk tuks ok for the experience, but usually taxis are just as cheap and they are air conditioned. I hate breathing the fumes of Bangkok in the back of a tuk tuk. I agree that a one time tuk tuk ride around BKK is a necessary tourist thing to do, but once is enough. The fumes are horrendous and it is not easy to see the sites while on a tuk tuk. Quote
Guest MonkeySee Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 I agree that a one time tuk tuk ride around BKK is a necessary tourist thing to do, but once is enough. The fumes are horrendous and it is not easy to see the sites while on a tuk tuk. I could not agree more. When in a tuk tuk, I have to slide down in the seat in order to see where I am. In general as a farang, unless your bargaining skills are good, I have found tuk tuks more expensive than taxis. Quote
