Back in Bangkok

[Milk78]

I have finally made it back to BKK! It is two years since I was here last, my first time in the city, and I have had to cancel the trip at least twice during that period because of Covid. I long debated whether i would come this time with all the restrictions still in place and the danger of testing positive and ending up in a hospital for 10 days! 

I arrived at 5am this morning, was in my room and tested by 6.30am. The test results came back all clear at 1.30pm. Not a bad turnaround I suppose. 

In June last year I picked up an amazing flight deal which worked out at 50% of the normal price of return Premium Economy with Swiss. It turns out that the tickets were in fact Business Class, so probably only about 20% of the usual cost. Swiss Business is not the best in the world, but still comes with a lie flat bad so it was plenty good enough for me, that and kick starting the holiday with very many glasses of champagne, there are worse ways to begin a trip. I have done a similar flight a few years ago to Vietnam and the experience was a smooth as it was then. A short hop from London Heathrow to Zurich and then the 10h30 flight to BKK. 

I was glad that I had printed off all the documentation - Thai Pass, Pre-departure PCR test certificate, Vaccine certificate, Hotel booking, Health Insurance cover note, as  they were scrutinised at 5 different points along the route. And I mean scrutinised! At each point the documents were really looked at to make sure they all checked out. I was a little nervous because whilst I had timed everything within the rules, my pre departure test was right on the line. I could see the check in guy at Heathrow doing the maths in his head.... 

When I booked the flights, I also found a stunning deal for the Banyan Tree. Whilst the first night is in their "basic" room for the Day 1 test, I was able to upgrade the room for a fraction of the cost. For the week it is working out at about 50% of its usual price. The Day Test here was more expensive than elsewhere, but the service I have had has been extremely efficient. 

I have now had the all clear and am free to go about my business.... And get to business I have. I just had a guy from Grindr come over which was fun. I am thinking about heading over to Silom to get a massage at Paradis. A boy from there has been messaging me since I opened up Grindr. They don't appear to have had any customers today. I will wander over soon to do my bit for the local economy. 

After that, I think I will visit @vinapurecommended 5* eating experience and then, depending on the time, check out what the scene is like and what is open. 

That is, as long as the jet lag doesn't hit hard. I have had quite an exhausting day already..... 

 

[Patanawet]

Welcome back.
Don't forget most bars (sorry restaurants) close at 23:00.

[Milk78]

5 minutes ago, Patanawet said:

Welcome back.
Don't forget most bars (sorry restaurants) close at 23:00.

What time are the boy bars, I mean restaurants, opening? Are they opening earlier to compensate?

[vinapu]

glad to hear you are not wasting any time

have fun and most important , let us know from time to time  how you are doing

[Will7272]

I’m interested in a review of the Banyan Tree. Always wanted to stay there. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Milk78 said:

What time are the boy bars, I mean restaurants, opening? Are they opening earlier to compensate?

Open "beer bars" such as those in Soi4 and Jomtien are open fairly early (~18:00 ??).

I didn't see much evidence of gogo bars in Bangkok opening any earlier.   I stuck my head into Fresh Boys around about 8:30 pm a couple of times and didn't see anyone on stage.    After 9:00 pm, they might be on stage, but in Jeans, so there was no reason to stay and buy a drink.

However, as I've returned home in February, I'll be pleased to hear updates on hours, boys and what they are wearing (etc), from people currently in Bangkok.

 

 

[Patanawet]

16 hours ago, z909 said:

Open "beer bars" such as those in Soi4 and Jomtien are open fairly early (~18:00 ??).

Soi 4 bars open 17:00. Except Pride which opens at 15:00 (I think) but no alcohol till 17:00

 

 

 

 

[Milk78]

I did head over to Paradis for a massage. It was ok. Not great, and certainly not poor - middle of the road. After a busy today today (more in a minute) I have Nut coming over to give me a massage tomorrow. I am sure others have mentioned Nut - maybe not the same person, but I am hopeful that he will deliver...

I wandered about a bit last night to get my bearings again. It was still quite early in the evening but even so, it was very quiet. I can confirm that @vinapu selection of Chicken and Cashew at the multi-award winning Foodland is excellent.... I wandered around for a bit and ended up The Balcony for a couple of drinks. It was probably 8pm ish by this point and there were maybe 6/7 others in there. The rest of Soi  4 was also pretty dead. It may have livened up later but I was really tired. I stopped at 7-11 picked up a couple of beers and retired to the hotel. 

I slept well and was down to breakfast at 8am. The breakfast here is fantastic. I will do a more considered review of Banyan Tree in a day or two when i have had chance to check it all out. After breakfast I got moved out of my Day 1 PCR room to my original room booking. A higher floor with great views over the city and much newer i think. It looks fresher (particularly the carpet!) and has a more luxurious feel to it. Possible too nice - I could have easily stayed in my room and not bothered going out! 

Having thought about various options, I headed over to the Jam Factory to see what that was like. Sad to say, that there is virtually nothing there anymore. I had heard and read that it was a great place to spend some time combined with some potential for interesting shopping. Not so much anymore. The cafe and bookshop are great (well, the bookshop looks great - lots of interesting titles but all in Thai so nothing for me) but that is all there really is now. Covid seems to have hit hard. 

I wandered over to IconSiam which 5 min walk. Much quieter than my last visit two years ago. The food market was as tempting as it was last time, but i had filled up on breakfast so wasn't really in the mood for more food. 

On a recommendation I headed over to Kathmandu Photo Gallery. What a fantastic little place. I did not know Manit Sriwanichpoom's work before going to his gallery. I really liked it and wanted to buy one of his books that was on display. Unfortunately, it was the only copy of the volume that they had in stock and they wouldn't sell it to me. I will certainly be looking him up and seeing what else I can find out about him. 

Again, on recommendations, I headed to another shop that was close, The House of Chao. Very disappointing. It is an antique shop but the object in there were not that special and inflated prices in my opinion. 

The day was not turning out as I had hoped. Two of three recommendations were pretty duff. In the case of the Jam Factory, I am sure that pre-Covid there would have been more of interest. 

I really wasn't feeling any appetite for boy hook-ups. I headed back to the hotel, had a shower (it was really humid today and when the Thais seem to be feeling it as well, it must be pretty full on) and flopped on the bed to get some sleep. I didn't really sleep, but after an hour I switched on Grindr "just to see what was about"... Of course I ended up hooking up with a local (not a money boy) and had a very nice couple of hours testing out the bed in the new room. 

Grindr is proving really good for me. So much so, that I haven't bothered with the clubs tonight. After working up an appetite I headed over to Mango Tree for dinner. I knew I should have known better when the waiter asked if "I liked a bit of spice?", which I do - I can handle a bit of chilli heat. This nearly blew my head off. I really enjoyed it, but it was very spicy! The waiter was very cute and got a red note for his attentions. 

Now to bed, more soon. 

 

 

[GWMinUS]

I understand the Jam Factory was used as the setting for the Thai Series "Bite Me". They built an entirly new Kitchen for the series, then tore it out after the series was finished. Very strange...

[Travellerdave]

On 3/28/2022 at 11:59 AM, Will7272 said:

I’m interested in a review of the Banyan Tree. Always wanted to stay there. 

I stayed at the Banyan Tree five years ago for two nights, to experience a top hotel in Bkk. It’s a very impressive place deserving at least a 4* rating. I had arrived on a motor bike taxi which prompted the door man to ask for confirmation that I had a reservation. My junior suite was on a high floor with a great view of the city. I used the swimming pool which was also on a high floor which I enjoyed. I was a little nervous when arriving back by Tuk tuk  with an offed boy, but there was no problem at reception, although I got a few stares from farang couples making my way to the elevator with him.  I cannot recall what I paid for the room but I recall that breakfast was the most expensive one I’ve ever had in Thailand. It’s close to Lumpini Park which was a plus as I was into jogging at the time.

After checking out I used the complimentary tuk tuk to take me to the nearest sky train station. My next hotel during that trip was the Zing Resort in Pattaya where the room charge would have been a fraction of that at the Banyan Tree. 

[Londoner]

I loved that.....not just the stares from the falang couples but the response of the of the door man to your arrival on a motor-cy taxi.  It's good to know that the snobbery for which my country is notorious  also exists in Thailand. 

[Milk78]

Anyone know about The Sun Club Tawan? I passed it last night on way back to hotel after I had been to Mango Tree. 

Seems to be advertising itself as a BDSM place. 

[fedssocr]

I stayed at the Sukhothai next door a couple of times long ago. It's another beautiful hotel with top notch service. But the location was just too inconvenient for the places I wanted to go.

For a couple of years I used to stay at the Siri Sathorn apartments. That was the only place I ever felt a little uncomfortable from the looks of the people in the lobby when I brought a cute boy home with me one evening

[a-447]

6 hours ago, Londoner said:

It's good to know that the snobbery for which my country is notorious  also exists in Thailand. 

I once wandered into a Rolex shop in Bangkok. 

I was dressed for the climate in a pair of shorts and a short-sleeve shirt.  I was wearing a pair of Nikes. There were more shop assistants than customers but I was completely ignored. No-one made eye contact me so after a while I asked for assistance. One guy looked me up and down, decided I couldn't afford to buy a Rolex and turned away.

So snobbery is alive and well in Bangkok, especially in some stores in Siam Paragon shopping centre.

Quote

That was the only place I ever felt a little uncomfortable from the looks of the people in the lobby when I brought a cute boy home with me one evening

Not only do I feel uncomfortable, the guy I'm with also feels embarrassed, especially if we are sharing an elevator.

That is why I prefer gay or gay - friendly hotels.

[scott456]

6 hours ago, Travellerdave said:

I stayed at the Banyan Tree five years ago for two nights, to experience a top hotel in Bkk. It’s a very impressive place deserving at least a 4* rating. I had arrived on a motor bike taxi which prompted the door man to ask for confirmation that I had a reservation. My junior suite was on a high floor with a great view of the city. I used the swimming pool which was also on a high floor which I enjoyed. I was a little nervous when arriving back by Tuk tuk  with an offed boy, but there was no problem at reception, although I got a few stares from farang couples making my way to the elevator with him.  I cannot recall what I paid for the room but I recall that breakfast was the most expensive one I’ve ever had in Thailand. It’s close to Lumpini Park which was a plus as I was into jogging at the time.

After checking out I used the complimentary tuk tuk to take me to the nearest sky train station. My next hotel during that trip was the Zing Resort in Pattaya where the room charge would have been a fraction of that at the Banyan Tree. 

I heard W hotel worldwide is the only five star hotel with a "kinky" vibe.  Perhaps you can try it out and let us know.

[spoon]

29 minutes ago, scott456 said:

I heard W hotel worldwide is the only five star hotel with a "kinky" vibe.  Perhaps you can try it out and let us know.

Most hotels in the silom neigborhood are very gay and adult friendly, W bangkok included. I once stayed at a 3 star hotel near Asok terminal and had a boy comes to my room, and the reception did call me when he arrived, and call me again when he left. It was awkward at first since most hotel in silom i usually went to my room together with the boy, but its actually done for our safety. 

[scott456]

1 hour ago, spoon said:

Most hotels in the silom neigborhood are very gay and adult friendly, W bangkok included. I once stayed at a 3 star hotel near Asok terminal and had a boy comes to my room, and the reception did call me when he arrived, and call me again when he left. It was awkward at first since most hotel in silom i usually went to my room together with the boy, but its actually done for our safety. 

I was asking about 5 star hotels, not 3 star.  I am a snob.😁

[Milk78]

This is my third night in the Banyan Tree and all is going pretty well. A few minor niggles, the internet is not so great in my room. It is ok, but by the bed it can be very weak. I have had a few guys over to the room now and not one raised eyebrow or withering look. All my hookups have been on Grindr so far.

The breakfast here as @Travellerdave mentions is fantastic. My experience of high end hotels is limited but I have been to a few and this breakfast is by far the best. When compared to the UK it is miles ahead, this is something you might actually want to pay for. I don't recall exactly how much it cost as the deal I got was so good I didn't pay attention to the details of the price breakdown. The package I have also has Club Lounge access. The actual lounge is still closed, they have not re-opened it yet after Covid outbreak. I can still have the drinks and snacks as per the Club package but they are now served in the lobby bar area. The Club access also provides you with afternoon tea (essentially canapes) and early evening snacks (more canapes). Both sets of canapes were very good, including a scallop dish, couscous, a braised beef amuse bouche, patatas bravas, and some miniature sweet pastries. At these times, the lobby gets as busy as I have seen the hotel (still not heaving), but there is a decent throng of people. I think I would have got more out of the Club package if the lounge had been open. I think the dedicated area would have made a difference and have had a calmer ambience. It is all a bit transitory with guests checking in and leaving. The Banyan Tree is billed as a 5* hotel and whilst it is very, very good, I think it has probably been outclassed now by some of the newer kids on the block – W, and So Sofitel. It is certainly not as glitzy as those venues. I might be a bit unfair to compare them in this way. Certainly, the service has been excellent and the room I am in looks to have been recently renovated. It may also be that when some venues in the hotel open up there will be more to it. There are 4 or 5 restaurants on site and the sky bar, which I visited this evening. I have not eaten here other than breakfast, mainly due to the prices. They are not exorbitant, but I have done very well with some of the recommendations provided on this forum for a fraction of the cost. I have to say the sky bar is pretty special and it has pretty special prices to match, but you are paying for the view and the night skyline is pretty fantastic. Would I stay here again? If I got a repeat of the deal I am on, then yes. Otherwise, as is my butterfly nature, I might try somewhere else. You won’t go wrong if you do decide to stay here though. There is a really cute waiter I have my on in case it transpires he is available…. I think it is a forlorn hope however.

The guy I met yesterday came back over for a repeat session. I am usually more of a butterfly but it was good yesterday so thought I would go back to the well.... it was still really good and two climaxes later, we went our separate ways. He really is very cute. Thai guy who has been in the hotel trade for years it seems, working all over. He has a very small frame with tiny hands – about half the size of mine! I have always loved small guys with big dicks and he didn’t disappoint.

I headed over to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Some nice things in there. An interesting exhibition on heritage architecture in the city and how much of it is being lost with the new developments. Then over to Central Embassy with a specific mission to check out the Paul Smith store. I was curious to know if it would be any cheaper than back in the UK, it wasn’t so left empty handed.

Then back to the hotel for a meeting with Nut and a massage. He was great and I will be surprised if I don’t ask him over again before I leave. He did pour the oil on me though which I know @vinapuwould disapprove of – he didn’t drench me in the stuff though. He had quoted 1500 bht (including tip) to come to my hotel and I was very happy to pay him 2000 bht. Given that another guy on Grindr wanted 4000 bht (!) I thought Nut was extremely good value. He works in a spa massage place in the Silom Complex, I can’t remember the exact name, but he said that it was mainly local Thai guys that went there so it was not suffering as much as those places that relied on the tourist trade. I did enquire, using @vinapu's technique of asking him to select a partner to provide a 4 hands massage. He said he would but only if it was just a massage. He couldn’t do sex stuff if there was another boy involved. Fair enough I suppose.

Following recommendation from @tm_nycI went to Somtum Der for some dinner. Excellent.

And then to answer @z909 call  I walked over to check out Hot Male. It was about 9pm at this point. 7/8 guys on stage. Well not on stage as I was the only customer in the place. As soon as I came in the door they all leapt onto stage to present themselves. They said that there was a show at 10.30pm and that they were shutting at midnight. I didn’t stay.

On to Fresh Boys and a similar tale. There may have been two customers in there but it was difficult to tell. They were on their phones but sat at the back like they could have been customers and I didn’t really pay them attention – I think they were young ish so may have been extra boys? The boys (again 7/8) were already on stage when I entered the venue though so perhaps they were customers. I was told the show starts at 10pm and again they were closing at midnight. Drinks were 350 bht which felt pricy and back to regular cost for what was on offer so didn’t hang around.

In both venues, the boys were in jeans but bare chested.

Closed the night with a couple of cocktails in the Sky Bar back at Banyan Tree. I might yet check out Grindr but I think I am done for the night. Tomorrow I want to head over to Warehouse 30 and go to the night market at Talad Rod Fai. Depending on how things work out I might check out Hot Male and Fresh Boys again tomorrow. Now that I am back in my room I kind of wish they were still open as I am feeling in the mood for it now. It has been a busy day though and I can’t complain – 3 loads shot today is probably quite enough.

 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Milk78 said:

Drinks were 350 bht which felt pricy and back to regular cost for what was on offer so didn’t hang around.

In both venues, the boys were in jeans but bare chested.

Good on you !   

If people actually pay 350 baht to watch guys in Jeans, I guess they will continue to fob us off with that.    

[Milk78]

It just seems a bit mad. There is no-one in these places and the streets are pretty dead. I would have stayed and gawked at the eye candy for a while and with some company... who knows. But when I can get pretty much whatever, whenever, and for free on Grindr without trying, why would you spend that amount? 

But even then - the eye candy is much diminished when they are all in jeans.... 

I might go back tomorrow if i am in the mood (or, as unlikely as it currently seems to be the case, drawing a blank on grindr). Sometimes it is nice to have a pro come over.

 

[zoomomancs]

I think Freshboys is more interesting at 10pm ish when the show starts. A few more customers there on weekdays and a decent number Fridays/Saturdays. Re the jeans I assume all the go go bars are navigating the odd covid rules so I'm just happy they have managed to open. Now I want Screwboys open with 20 Viet men there but I'm not about to get it.

[Milk78]

Yeah, I was an hour before the show in Fresh boys. Show was starting at 10.30 in Hot Male.

The street outside was dead. I was literally the only person on it not employed by one of the venues. 

If the drink prices were lower, I would have stayed. Like they say, use it or lose it, and it would be tragic to see them all disappear. 

But, given the offer at the moment, it feels way too expensive.

I was thinking of going back tonight and maybe offing a boy. But, I just had a hook up on Grindr and have decided to go to a night market. 

Maybe I will save it for tomorrow/ weekend. 

[Guest]

19 hours ago, Milk78 said:

 when I can get pretty much whatever, whenever, and for free on Grindr without trying, why would you spend that amount? 

But even then - the eye candy is much diminished when they are all in jeans....

At risk of too much repetition, I strongly agree with your first two points.  

 

19 hours ago, Milk78 said:

Sometimes it is nice to have a pro come over.

In my experience, my odds of getting a pro are far better on Grindr than from a gogo bar.

On Grindr we can have a proper chat about what he has to do to get a tip, which drastically improved my odds of success.    In a gogo bar, once I've paid a lad to sit with me, I'm much more likely to overlook any warning signs and off him.

 

[reader]

it's becoming ever more evident that until test-and-go is totally scrapped and entertained venues free of restrictions, there won't be the number of tourists to support a 2019 version of Patpong. In the meantime, the operators of the clubs that choose to open should adopt some incentives to lure in the small number of would-be customers who are trickling back.

In the same way hotels lower rates, bars should cut the price of drinks through a variety of promotions. Even in good times, many bars offered "happy hour" pricing or drink specials on mid-week nights. Here are some ideas that I believe might succeed in helping to improve the bottom line:

• Early bird 200 baht drinks for first hour every night
• 2-for-1 specials (per customer) Tuesdays through Thursdays
• Beer special of 100 baht beers on Tuesdays through Thursdays
• Off fee of 400 baht Tuesdays though Thursdays
• Last-minute weekend specials

None of these are particularly new ideas. They've been used by bars and clubs around the globe and they frequently persuade undecided customers to give it a try.

 

[Milk78]

A really mixed day today. 

They had clearly changed chefs today and breakfast, whilst still very good, wasn't quite of the standard of previous days. If i can have a moment to unleash the foodie in me - the hollandaise on the eggs benedict lacked the hint of vinegar it should have had (and did on previous mornings) and the pork noodles were a little bland. The stock was clearly a rush job and lacked the depth of flavour it should have had - which kind of summed the day up...... 

On the positive side, I made it out to Warehouse 30. There are all sorts of independent (8 or 9) shops there. A decent café that would have been at home in Shoreditch (actually, thinking about it the whole place was very Shoreditch for those UK based and know the hipster vibe); an absolutely stunning furniture store with prices to match; an excellent contemporary art gallery (although I would have like to have seen more Thai representation. The artists were on the whole European); a digital art gallery which was ok (i think when they do events it will be fab), and a jewellery shop showcasing 5 or so makers (again very high end - i think some of them are stocked by Harrods). Oh, and there was also a vintage Americana store, stocking things from 1950 until about 1980? Interesting place if that is your thing, although pretty pricey

Back to the hotel and a Thai guy messaged me who has been trying to hook up since i arrived. I can't really explain why, but I had been kind of putting him off. Anyway, I was back at the hotel with some time to kill so took him up on the offer. OH MY GOD - he was absolutely stunning. @vinapu would have been in heaven. Thai, probably about 30 although i find it very difficult to age Thai guys sometimes, they can have an ageless/ timeless quality to them on occasion. He arrived wearing a muscle vest and my word was it appropriate. I am not sure I have been with someone so ripped and yet almost understated. Perfect sized dick - a notch or two larger than average without getting to the oversize category.  Stunning meet. I don't often do repeats but will definitely seek him out again. He lives behind the hotel so can be at my room door in no more than 15 minutes. Bonus. He also loves overweight white guys, double bonus, and I am very happy to oblige. Not a money boy so brings all the goods for free - what's not to like? For the life of me I have no idea how I almost let this guy slip by....

Did some boring stuff on the computer to see off some time as i was keen to go to the night market. I had checked online about the various night market offerings and found an article posted in 2022 and up to date information. Having looked at their recommendations I went to the second train market, out of town at Srinakarin, as they wrote that there was more art and antiques there and less of a food offering that at the other train market at Ratchada (which apparantly has a new name and location as a result of Covid. It is branded now as Jodd Fairs). Srinakarin is a little way out of town and as I left the hotel, after canapes and beer, at about 6.30pm the journey took 45 minutes because of the traffic. My own fault as I should have either just had more canapes and left a bit later or gone early. Never mind. However, the promise of the art and antique experience was sadly not to be. About half (maybe significantly more as it is hard to say if there would have been additional stores in empty areas) were closed up. A very sad sign of the times. I was not surprised but I had done as much due diligence as I could. Again, lack of tourists seems to have completely killed the place. Now, food offerings match the number of vendors and what is on sale is 90% generic market fair - in essence there were only about 5-6 different types of store: Shoes, clothes, perfume, phone accessories, bags, and then food. There were a couple of vintage stores open but really nothing to make the visit worth while. I feel desperately sorry for them. 

I gave it a good look to make sure I wasn't missing anything and then decided to give it up as a bad job. Only decision left to make was whether I stayed to eat something there or head back Silom way. The live music made the decision for me and I could not have got out of there quicker. A number of the bars there have acts on - all of them average to poor and I had had enough! 

Made a tactical decision, as it was getting on for 9.30pm, to get dropped off at Le Meridien so that I could walk down past the boy bars to the 5*, award winning restaurant. A funny aside - I passed a guy who last night had seen me walking down the street and asked if i needed help. At the time I said I was looking for a taxi and just kind of brushed him off. He was genuinely trying to be helpful it turns out. When I got back to the hotel and caught the look of myself in the mirror I understood why... Having had the experience of the bars last night I stopped in at a 7-11 to buy a couple of beers to take back to the hotel. When I was in the boy bars, I was fine. Clearly, by the time I had been to the 7-11 and marched down the road looking and failing to find a taxi I just gotten hotter and hotter. When I caught sight of myself in the hotel he must have thought i was about to pass out - I was completely drenched, my shirt was soaked in sweat. I passed him again tonight - he did a double take and said, "you ok?! Long time no see!!" Bless him. The second time today I have been shown up brushing somebody off that I should have had more time for. 

Anyway, I got out at Le Meridien and headed down past Fresh Boys and Hot Male. As anticipated, the boys outside came running over to entice me in - this time I told them that I would but their drinks were too expensive. 

It did feel a little more lively this evening, possibly because tonight Dream Boys was open. Last night it was closed up, but tonight music was pouring into the street which at the very least made it feel more alive down there. Again, I was approached to go in, I asked him how much drinks were (400 bht!) and said that it was too expensive - he kind of agreed and left me to it. 

A money boy has been messaging me for the last couple of days and I had kept him on hold in case I fancied a meet. Having filled up at said 5* restaurant, I took him up on the offer. 2,000 and he arrived as promised at my room door. Sex wise no complaints, but I am not sure I have ever met someone (anyone) who has spent more time looking at themselves in the mirror. Seriously. That and the first thing he wanted to do was arrange glasses and Banyan Tree branded towels so he could do a story for Instagram! Like I said, the actual sex was good, but it was more than a little bit of a mood killer. 

So, an up and down day (in every sense).

Not entirely sure what my plans are for tomorrow. I will just see where the mood takes me, although I might just take a trip on the river. Recommendations very welcome!