Bangkok post-Covid, July 2022

[macaroni21]

Let's begin with the bad news. Hopefully, the later reports will be more cheery. After all, we're only two weeks from Thailand doing away with the Thailand Pass and the insurance requirements. We can't expect tourism businesses to spring back to life that quickly. Nonetheless, one wonders if some things that we were familiar with - so familiar we almost took them for granted - will ever come back.

It's been reported by others that Patpong Soi 1 no longer hosts a night market. This is what the street now looks like. 

I've never been fond of obstruction caused by the stalls, but the dreary look of the street now is even worse. I've never really counted how many girl bars used to operate on that street, except a sense that the number of bars have been declining slowly over the years, but it looks as if only the King's Castle bars have reopened.

[macaroni21]

Nor have the stalls along Silom and Surawong Roads returned. And quite a few shopfronts are shuttered too. There used to be 6 or 7 massage shops along Silom Road (all of them with a significant number of male staff) east of the Thaniya junction. There are now only 3. There used to be another 5 or 6 massage shops along Surawong Road in the stretch between Patpong Soi 1 and Soi Tarntawan. There are now 3 too. Those three however seemed to have differentiated themselves more starkly. Urban Thai is all-female staff while Green Massage is all male staff (in, confusingly, orange shirts). Only Olivia has mixed gender staff.

But take a look at this picture. It's a different stretch of Surawong Road, opposite Raya Hotel, between the alleyway to Moonlight (left edge) and Happy Beer Garden (to the right). It used to be always busy, with every shopfront lit up.

The gay part of Patpong Soi 2 looked bright by comparison. But it's only that 50 metres or so. Go a bit further from where the photo was taken and it's forlorn again. As others have reported, Lucky Boys does not look as if it's coming back. Nor Bangkok Massage. To the left of the picture, Screw Boys remains closed.

 

Silom Soi 4 was a bright jewel. Nearly every table was taken; there was a buzz
about it that felt good.

[macaroni21]

As many of us would know, Super Rich offered some of the best exchange rates when changing cash. A particularly convenient branch was located on level 3 of Silom Center. It's no more. The next one that I knew of was located at the front of Silom Plaza (what we generally know as the Arena Massage building). So I went there. It too was closed.

 

Fortunately, a tiny currency exchange shop was nearby so I didn't have to go hunting some more. It offered very good rates too. It faces Narathiwat Raja Naga Indra Road, round the corner from Silom Plaza. 

Still on Narathiwat Road, I remember the old Om Yim hotel. I had good stays there, and loved the fact that it was literally 25 metres from the entrance to Chong Nonsi station. It's long gone, but the unit is still vacant.

Closer to our time, Glitz Hotel (at the mouth of Soi Tarntaran) is also gone.

As others have reported, Tawan has moved to smaller premises across the street.

Meanwhile New Twilight has opened in the dark alley that is called Soi Anuman Ratchathon, directly opposite the infamous dive bar Nature Boy (which I think is now the replacement location for Golden Cock, based on new signage that I saw)... but the way it's going, I think we will be writing an obituary for New Twilight before long. That's for another post though.

[Boy69]

@macaroni21 finally you are describing us the truth about the current situation in Silom-Suriwong area because  almost all the latest reports by other members you could get the false impression that things get back to normal which isn't the truth, I know some can enjoy hunting boys in Bangkok and tell the whole world how wonderful their latest trip was and ignore the lifeless streets , shuttered business, absent of street stalls and markets but I couldn't do it , I will not be able to enjoy my self on this gloomy post covid area.

I hope the situation will improve very soon so I can visit again my beloved Thailand as it was before. 

[AlexThompson]

Thanks for the thoughtful, honest reporting.  Those images are sobering.

Glitz and Babylon were where I spent all my time on my last trip to Bangkok. 😪

[Min]

3 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

As many of us would know, Super Rich offered some of the best exchange rates when changing cash. A particularly convenient branch was located on level 3 of Silom Center. It's no more. The next one that I knew of was located at the front of Silom Plaza (what we generally know as the Arena Massage building). So I went there. It too was closed.

The Super Rich next to Silom Plaza is still open but with shorter working hours (9am to 6pm). I just exchanged money there a couple of times, barely a week ago.

[TMax]

Some of the best exchange rates I had were from the money changer at Sala Daeng BTS, I think it was The Richey Money Exchange but last I saw of it online it said closed permanently. It was always a good rate there and as I used the BTS a lot was easiest to change there, hope it gets going again. 

[Min]

1 hour ago, Min said:

The Super Rich next to Silom Plaza is still open but with shorter working hours (9am to 6pm). I just exchanged money there a couple of times, barely a week ago.

Add: and weekdays only.

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, TMax said:

Some of the best exchange rates I had were from the money changer at Sala Daeng BTS, I think it was The Richey Money Exchange but last I saw of it online it said closed permanently. It was always a good rate there and as I used the BTS a lot was easiest to change there, hope it gets going again. 

The best exchange rates I received for cash were at the airport rail station.  
I haven't used them for several years, as I now use Transferwise to move money to my Thai bank account.

Whilst I haven't looked closely, I think there is still some activity at the station, but much reduced.

The exchange rate places around Sala Daeng seem to be in a state of constant flux.   Once tourist numbers pick up, I expect more will open. 

 

3 hours ago, Boy69 said:

I know some can enjoy hunting boys in Bangkok and tell the whole world how wonderful their latest trip was and ignore the lifeless streets , shuttered business, absent of street stalls and markets but I couldn't do it , I will not be able to enjoy my self on this gloomy post covid area.

Everything I need in Bangkok is open.

The best coffee shops are still open.

My favourite restaurants are all still open.

There are enough massage shops open to provide choice.

The gogo bar scene is somewhat depleted, but I have learnt to cope without gogo bars.  If the likes of Fresh Boys put out some nice twinks in the thin white underwear they used to have, I'll be a customer.   If not, I'll enjoy myself on Grindr and just have a beer in Soi 4.    

[reader]

I just returned from two months in BKK and walked Silom, Surawong and Patpong nightly. The scenes presented above represent a moment in time and do not reflect my recollection of what it actually looked liked as a whole during that period. Below are some clarifications to put this discussion in context.

MASSAGE SHOPS -- There were at least six massage shops on Surawong when I left July 12. And for the record, Urban Thai does have some male masseurs on staff. Long-running Adam Massage on Soi 4 is open as are at least five on Soi 6, including Prime. And soon Senso (on Soi Saladaeng) will be reopening.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE -- As Min pointed out, Superrich is open weekdays. I went in there July 8 and it was so crowded I walked out and ended up at the jewelry shop on Surawong (right beside what was once the Family Mart at the corner of Soi Twlight. For rate comparisons, they were offering $35.65, K-Bank $34.89 and Superrich $35.90 for the USD. Superrich has other locations open weekends, including Central World that I used a few times. But for convenience purposes, I'd recommend the jewelry store because there was no waiting and the transaction was completed rapidly. Kudos to Vinapu for making me aware of this place. (Btw, the airport exchange rates are no longer competitive with what you can get in the city).

OVERALL -- I'd echo what z909 says above, "Everything I need in Bangkok is open."

5 hours ago, Boy69 said:

@macaroni21 finally you are describing us the truth about the current situation in Silom-Suriwong area because  almost all the latest reports by other members you could get the false impression that things get back to normal which isn't the truth, I know some can enjoy hunting boys in Bangkok and tell the whole world how wonderful their latest trip was and ignore the lifeless streets , shuttered business, absent of street stalls and markets but I couldn't do it , I will not be able to enjoy my self on this gloomy post covid area.

I hope the situation will improve very soon so I can visit again my beloved Thailand as it was before. 

Boy69, have you actually walked these streets lately? Many members, myself included, have and you're saying that we've created  a false impression. Our impressions are of those actually on the ground. I was a 5-walk away from Surawong for eight weeks. I can tell you that Patpong 1 had only three bars open when I arrived and five when I left, not counting one on an alley that connects it with Patpong 2. There are another six lady bars open on Patpong 2 along with three boy bars: Hot Male, Freshboys and Dreamboys.

Life may not be back to normal as our pre-covid memories but it improves by the week. It's low season right now. There's no magic switch that going to be turned on and suddenly places like Lucky Boys and Screwboys are going to spring to life. That's going to be determined by how many punters actually decide to return to Bangkok and start spending again. But ask any member who has returned whether or not they had a good time and I'd be amazed if even one responds in the negative. Or just read Dankfq's recent post in this forum.

 

 

 

[Londoner]

I can only speak for Pattaya today, though I suspect that BKK is much the same.. It's a

mistake to expect more than a semblance of the old glories of the past. Too early for anything other than the green shoots of a recovery.

But don't be discouraged; there's plenty here to keep you happy. And that means a lot more than other places can offer. Anyway, we're overjoyed to be here. 

[spoon]

I agree that if you cant enjoy bangkok and pattaya boys without its old glory, stay away. Why spend money for a vacation you will not enjoy. 

On the other hand, for a place to return to its old glory, tourists needs to start going there, or itll never get its full recovery. So for those early adopters who went there and enjoy themselves, i would like to thank you for your contributions, not just the lovely trip reports, but to thailand's economy recovery. 

Just my crappy 2 cents.

[ichigo]

57 minutes ago, reader said:

Life may not be back to normal as our pre-covid memories but it improves by the week. It's low season right now. There's no magic switch that going to be turned on and suddenly places like Lucky Boys and Screwboys are going to spring to life. That's going to be determined by how many punters actually decide to return to Bangkok and start spending again. But ask any member who has returned whether or not they had a good time and I'd be amazed if even one responds in the negative.

Agree! I just came back home yesterday and I had a blast - it is not yet at pre-covid levels, but there is still plenty to do. I went to dreamboys a few times and some of the nights, particularly weekends the place was packed. Grindr is active, many massage shops open (particularly on soi 6), and lots to eat. I would recommend that this would be a great time to go! They need us!

12 minutes ago, spoon said:

So for those early adopters who went there and enjoy themselves, i would like to thank you for your contributions, not just the lovely trip reports, but to thailand's economy recovery.

Proud to have somewhat contributed to the economy!

[macaroni21]

Oh dear, I fear my opening post might have been made into something it was not intended to be. In any case, as with many things in life, the flux of life (and economics) is seldom amenable to being reduced to a simple dichotomy: good and bad. 

I didn't mean to give the impression that it's all doom and gloom. 

In fact, if you read my opening paragraph, you'll see me saying let's get the bad news out of the way. Also, I stressed that we're only 2 weeks out of the Thailand Pass.

Am I enjoying myself? Yes, yes and yes. Choices may be more limited than before due to the closures, which may well be compensated for by new openings in due course, but for a short holiday, how many choices do I need? I have only so many days.

But I hope in my opening post to have described a baseline post-covid. Perhaps a year later in July 2023, someone will describe the scene then and we (fingers crossed) will have a measure of the improvement and be glad we are here to witness the recovery. And be thankful Thailand offers what we don't get in our home cities.

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, macaroni21 said:

Oh dear, I fear my opening post might have been made into something it was not intended to be. In any case, as with many things in life, the flux of life (and economics) is seldom amenable to being reduced to a simple dichotomy: good and bad. 

I didn't mean to give the impression that it's all doom and gloom. 

Please carry on posting as you are.   Many of us are enjoying this thread.   Just like we enjoyed your blog (assuming no mistaken identity).

As for choosing a holiday destination in 2022, the rational approach is to pick the best destination available in 2022.   Comparisons with 5 years ago are irrelevant, except for those members who possess a working time machine.

[TotallyOz]

You post is great and informative. There was one poster who tried to derail it and he was put on a week time out. Please carry on!

[jason1975]

Even though many places have not reopened, it's still worth going to Bangkok.

I was glad that I went last month during my leave. Air tickets and hotel rooms were so cheap.

Prices for December are double!

[reader]

1 hour ago, macaroni21 said:

Am I enjoying myself? Yes, yes and yes. Choices may be more limited than before due to the closures, which may well be compensated for by new openings in due course, but for a short holiday, how many choices do I need?

Heartened to hear that you're enjoying yourself.

[numazu]

10 hours ago, Boy69 said:

@macaroni21 finally you are describing us the truth about the current situation in Silom-Suriwong area because  almost all the latest reports by other members you could get the false impression that things get back to normal which isn't the truth, I know some can enjoy hunting boys in Bangkok and tell the whole world how wonderful their latest trip was and ignore the lifeless streets , shuttered business, absent of street stalls and markets but I couldn't do it , I will not be able to enjoy my self on this gloomy post covid area.

Just speaking for myself, I don't think I was ever saying in my current trip report that things are back to "normal" whatever that means anymore. I remember saying that "Bangkok is back" and indeed it is. It might not be the cheek to jowl crowd that you can only see anyway during peak season, not on a rainy July, but it is indeed back. And I had a blast!

And "gloomy post covid area (sic)" can be applied to any number of locations in the world, if that's how you view it, since none are "back to normal". Like others have said, everything you need in Bangkok is open. You can get your rocks off, you can eat the amazing food, BTS/taxis/tuk tuks are plentiful, and boy bars are open. If you'd rather stay home holding on to money while waiting for the world to get back to "normal", you might be waiting a long time.

[Min]

4 hours ago, reader said:

OVERALL -- I'd echo what z909 says above, "Everything I need in Bangkok is open."

including all forms of back door...

[Min]

3 hours ago, z909 said:

Just like we enjoyed your blog (assuming no mistaken identity).

What blog?

[vinapu]

9 hours ago, spoon said:

 

Just my crappy 2 cents.

Every penny counts

[vinapu]

15 hours ago, Boy69 said:

@macaroni21 finally you are describing us the truth about the current situation in Silom-Suriwong area because  almost all the latest reports by other members you could get the false impression that things get back to normal which isn't the truth, I know some can enjoy hunting boys in Bangkok and tell the whole world how wonderful their latest trip was and ignore the lifeless streets , shuttered business, absent of street stalls and markets but I couldn't do it , I will not be able to enjoy my self on this gloomy post covid area.

I hope the situation will improve very soon so I can visit again my beloved Thailand as it was before. 

As you said in another thread recently

" don,t buy , don,t cry"

[Guest]

7 hours ago, numazu said:

And "gloomy post covid area (sic)" can be applied to any number of locations in the world, if that's how you view it, since none are "back to normal". Like others have said, everything you need in Bangkok is open. You can get your rocks off, you can eat the amazing food, BTS/taxis/tuk tuks are plentiful, and boy bars are open. If you'd rather stay home holding on to money while waiting for the world to get back to "normal", you might be waiting a long time.

no more waiting for anything - the Covid lesson is live in the moment, make educated choices re: personal behavior vs risk tolerance & don’t expect things to get better.  Majority of the world’s population has lived through much worse circumstances than Covid. Majority of us here are in age category of 45 -65 and mostly unaccustomed to adversity. It’s a curveball for sure, but life goes on.  

[kjun12]

Best we just enjoy Bangkok as it is today.  I question that it will ever be as it was in the early years of 2000,  but that is history and Covid has changed things around the world.  Not just in Thailand. I am happy to have what we have now and, hopefully, it will get even better.

Regardless, I think that this thread is very active and this is good.  Just different opinions.