Return to Thailand

[ggobkk]

I had a non-Turkey Thanksgiving celebration with Reader in 2019.  I departed the next morning intent on returning in April.  And 1257 days after that meal I’ve retuned to a familiar but slightly different world.  It’s not as different as when I did a return in 2012 after a more than a decade disappearance.  

I landed at Swampy at 4:58 AM.  After walking a mile or so from the gate, I cleared immigration in about three minutes.  I didn’t have to resort to the special one for diplomats, monks, and the aging.  My suitcase was the actual last bag off the plane so that added an increasingly stressful moment to what had been n easy but long journey.  

As I needed to add a visit to Beijing to this trip, my routing from California to Bangkok took me east via Zurich and on to Thailand.  So I was in an aisle seat on a 777-ER on United and then on Thai from Zurich.  Total time in the air 21 hours with a two hour Swiss layover.

So bag on trolley I walked out into the terminal, after noting the increased number of communications services that has moved into the arrivals area.  They outnumber the money changers.  And there were even more of them in the public areas.  I checked with the limo service to see what one would cost and 1700 THB was quoted.  I continued to the taxi rank.  (VInapu, I couldn’t use the rail line as  my suitcase is one of the big ones - needed for brining tea to China).  Once in the taxi, the driver started negotiations.  We settled on 600 THB which covered the tolls.  

Following reports, comments, and gossip on the Forum I booked Quarter Silom, paying for my room from the night before my arrival so I could check in when I arrived. The driver after making a U-turn in a pedestrian crossing on Silom entered Soi 6 even at this early in the day had two way traffic which blocked our progress.  Then arrival at the hotel.  Very austere and up to date looking.  Check-in went smoothly, into room, moderate in size compared to The Raya.  I resisted the need to sleep, took a shower, and headed down for buffet breakfast which was similar to every other one in the world.

I checked email and some headlines…found too many of one and too much I didn’t want to know in the other.  I decided to go for. Walking look around.  I headed toward Surawong noting that this stretch of road looked remarkably cleaner than I remembered.  Where are the massage parlors, Tawan is much smaller and advertising it’s Tawan BDSM location across the street.  There is an upscale definitely gay friendly (note flag) coffee shop directly across from Tawan.  (Coffee Grinder Silom).  The 7-11 mentioned in another section of the forum has absorbed the amulet shop and the entrance to the Tarntawan Apartments. The pharmacy that was just before turning the corner is gone with contractors working.  Suspect it wont be a massage venue.

So many new building and/or business switches along Surawong. Still many massage parlors along the way some in what were restaurants, small businesses.  Note:  Checking exchange rates the shop in front of the Siam Heritage hotel was at 34.6 to the $ which was the best I’d seen..  Airport shops were at 32.  At MBK it was in the 33 range.

I tuned in to see if pay homage to Screwboys.  Which, when I was arriving via Tokyo back in the pre-Covid days was usually the only place open when I arrived.  Thought fondly of Yoyo my companion of many moments.  Then to Hot Male road where the first sign of life was Vinapu’s breakfast location for sending his journeymen stamp collectors on their way. I noted that much of the space from the entry down the may is taken by Mary Jane - not sure (at this hour) what it does ( other than the Mary Jane connection) and then my eyes shook my  brain awake and started to spot the number of marijuana businesses.  There is one big change.

Over on Silom, I saw huge construction projects and altered much of what I remembered.  The Dusit Thani project which was beginning in 2019 is still underway and will further upscale the area.  I guess that sums up what I was seeing an upscaling of familiar haunts.

I got on the BTS and went to MBK to both check out the exchange rates (see above) and to browse.  Prior to leaving home I was scrolling the forums for insights on massage spas etc.  One that kept being mentioned was Kman Spa (K-Man?). So, I diverted my return to Silom to check out its location.  Reader sent me a link with some location information. NOTE:  the material from the spa says to get off at 2 at Saphan Kwai and enter the 2nd alley.  This does not tell you that once you land of the street level turn immediately left and then walk into the alley that’s right there.  I didn’t and had a long stroll  until I asked google.

My original intent was to just find the location so I wouldn’t waste time when I would come by after LINE-ing on who was available. However, i had spent so much time looking for K-Man, that it was now just after 12 noon and the shop was open.  I went in and introduced my self to the manager.  He told me who was still working there from the photo gallery that it on their blog spot,  I said I’d like to set up a massage with one of my favorites from the gallery.  If that worked out then maybe arrange a 4 hand massage, as the video on the web, was “intriguing”  (ask “hot”).

While all this is going on, boys/men are arriving.  One of them from a room overlooking the lobby starts to smile (Vinapu rule V-64a) and play visual games.  To cut to the chase, I decide to have a massage and not wait to hear from the “favorites”.  The massager of the moment was Mr Sam who introduced himself to me as Sun.  A twink from Laos.  Massage room two floors up, shower down the hall.  I showered and then he did, dropping his towel when he returned from the shower. Yes he could massage with some degree of excellence but neither of us waited long for what is euphemistically known as “afters”.  Quite a bit of “aftering” requiring some tasty cleanup and then back to finishing the massage.  What a great way to spend the lunch hour!.  One thing to note: Mr Sam’s photos on the Spa’s site would not cause me to want to book him which would have been my loss.  He knows his business (as we negotiated a tip for special “after” services).  He began his trade at Bangkok Massage on Twilight but he doesn’t look old enough to have been there - but the highest authority (Reader) confirms.  Sun and I exchanged Lines and as he is a 4 hand veteran asked him to suggest another therapist to join him in caring for me.

And with that…I will conclude this installment of my report as it is already too long.  

 

 

 

[gayinpattaya]

56 minutes ago, ggobkk said:

I had a non-Turkey Thanksgiving celebration with Reader in 2019.  I departed the next morning intent on returning in April.  And 1257 days after that meal I’ve retuned to a familiar but slightly different world.  It’s not as different as when I did a return in 2012 after a more than a decade disappearance.  

I landed at Swampy at 4:58 AM.  After walking a mile or so from the gate, I cleared immigration in about three minutes.  I didn’t have to resort to the special one for diplomats, monks, and the aging.  My suitcase was the actual last bag off the plane so that added an increasingly stressful moment to what had been n easy but long journey.  

As I needed to add a visit to Beijing to this trip, my routing from California to Bangkok took me east via Zurich and on to Thailand.  So I was in an aisle seat on a 777-ER on United and then on Thai from Zurich.  Total time in the air 21 hours with a two hour Swiss layover.

So bag on trolley I walked out into the terminal, after noting the increased number of communications services that has moved into the arrivals area.  They outnumber the money changers.  And there were even more of them in the public areas.  I checked with the limo service to see what one would cost and 1700 THB was quoted.  I continued to the taxi rank.  (VInapu, I couldn’t use the rail line as  my suitcase is one of the big ones - needed for brining tea to China).  Once in the taxi, the driver started negotiations.  We settled on 600 THB which covered the tolls.  

Following reports, comments, and gossip on the Forum I booked Quarter Silom, paying for my room from the night before my arrival so I could check in when I arrived. The driver after making a U-turn in a pedestrian crossing on Silom entered Soi 6 even at this early in the day had two way traffic which blocked our progress.  Then arrival at the hotel.  Very austere and up to date looking.  Check-in went smoothly, into room, moderate in size compared to The Raya.  I resisted the need to sleep, took a shower, and headed down for buffet breakfast which was similar to every other one in the world.

I checked email and some headlines…found too many of one and too much I didn’t want to know in the other.  I decided to go for. Walking look around.  I headed toward Surawong noting that this stretch of road looked remarkably cleaner than I remembered.  Where are the massage parlors, Tawan is much smaller and advertising it’s Tawan BDSM location across the street.  There is an upscale definitely gay friendly (note flag) coffee shop directly across from Tawan.  (Coffee Grinder Silom).  The 7-11 mentioned in another section of the forum has absorbed the amulet shop and the entrance to the Tarntawan Apartments. The pharmacy that was just before turning the corner is gone with contractors working.  Suspect it wont be a massage venue.

So many new building and/or business switches along Surawong. Still many massage parlors along the way some in what were restaurants, small businesses.  Note:  Checking exchange rates the shop in front of the Siam Heritage hotel was at 34.6 to the $ which was the best I’d seen..  Airport shops were at 32.  At MBK it was in the 33 range.

I tuned in to see if pay homage to Screwboys.  Which, when I was arriving via Tokyo back in the pre-Covid days was usually the only place open when I arrived.  Thought fondly of Yoyo my companion of many moments.  Then to Hot Male road where the first sign of life was Vinapu’s breakfast location for sending his journeymen stamp collectors on their way. I noted that much of the space from the entry down the may is taken by Mary Jane - not sure (at this hour) what it does ( other than the Mary Jane connection) and then my eyes shook my  brain awake and started to spot the number of marijuana businesses.  There is one big change.

Over on Silom, I saw huge construction projects and altered much of what I remembered.  The Dusit Thani project which was beginning in 2019 is still underway and will further upscale the area.  I guess that sums up what I was seeing an upscaling of familiar haunts.

I got on the BTS and went to MBK to both check out the exchange rates (see above) and to browse.  Prior to leaving home I was scrolling the forums for insights on massage spas etc.  One that kept being mentioned was Kman Spa (K-Man?). So, I diverted my return to Silom to check out its location.  Reader sent me a link with some location information. NOTE:  the material from the spa says to get off at 2 at Saphan Kwai and enter the 2nd alley.  This does not tell you that once you land of the street level turn immediately left and then walk into the alley that’s right there.  I didn’t and had a long stroll  until I asked google.

My original intent was to just find the location so I wouldn’t waste time when I would come by after LINE-ing on who was available. However, i had spent so much time looking for K-Man, that it was now just after 12 noon and the shop was open.  I went in and introduced my self to the manager.  He told me who was still working there from the photo gallery that it on their blog spot,  I said I’d like to set up a massage with one of my favorites from the gallery.  If that worked out then maybe arrange a 4 hand massage, as the video on the web, was “intriguing”  (ask “hot”).

While all this is going on, boys/men are arriving.  One of them from a room overlooking the lobby starts to smile (Vinapu rule V-64a) and play visual games.  To cut to the chase, I decide to have a massage and not wait to hear from the “favorites”.  The massager of the moment was Mr Sam who introduced himself to me as Sun.  A twink from Laos.  Massage room two floors up, shower down the hall.  I showered and then he did, dropping his towel when he returned from the shower. Yes he could massage with some degree of excellence but neither of us waited long for what is euphemistically known as “afters”.  Quite a bit of “aftering” requiring some tasty cleanup and then back to finishing the massage.  What a great way to spend the lunch hour!.  One thing to note: Mr Sam’s photos on the Spa’s site would not cause me to want to book him which would have been my loss.  He knows his business (as we negotiated a tip for special “after” services).  He began his trade at Bangkok Massage on Twilight but he doesn’t look old enough to have been there - but the highest authority (Reader) confirms.  Sun and I exchanged Lines and as he is a 4 hand veteran asked him to suggest another therapist to join him in caring for me.

And with that…I will conclude this installment of my report as it is already too long.  

 

He did used to work at Bangkok Massage. He's one of the other things I miss about Bangkok! 

[jason1975]

Sam / Sun sounds like a guy worth checking out!

[10tazione]

5 hours ago, ggobkk said:

There is an upscale definitely gay friendly (note flag) coffee shop directly across from Tawan.  (Coffee Grinder Silom)

Is this a new shop? I certainly would not have overlooked it on my last visit, or perhaps my last visit was too many years ago ...

The pictures on google maps indicate a lot of sweet cakes and a sweet waiter...

[floridarob]

5 hours ago, gayinpattaya said:

He did used to work at Bangkok Massage. He's one of the other things I miss about Bangkok! 

What else do you miss.....?

[thaiophilus]

7 hours ago, ggobkk said:

 I continued to the taxi rank.  (VInapu, I couldn’t use the rail line as  my suitcase is one of the big ones - needed for brining tea to China).  Once in the taxi, the driver started negotiations.  We settled on 600 THB which covered the tolls.  
 

What, no meter? "Official" airport taxis (the ones allowed to use the taxi rank) are supposed to charge what's on the meter plus tolls plus 50B, which should be considerably less than 600.

[reader]

Glad you got off to a great start. And pleased that Sun enlightened your afternoon delight.

2 hours ago, 10tazione said:

Is this a new shop?

K-Man has been around for a while and has been mentioned in this forum several times and endorsed by a handful of readers. From personal experience, it's hard to go wrong there.

https://www.facebook.com/kmanspamassage/

[10tazione]

15 minutes ago, reader said:

K-Man has been around for a while

I was asking about the cafeteria opposite tawan 😀

[reader]

Lol. Never mind. 🙂

(Have had only one cup of coffee this morning)

[zombie]

OP a very nice report; not too long. 

Await next instalment!

[ggobkk]

2 hours ago, 10tazione said:

I was asking about the cafeteria opposite tawan 😀

It is definitely new. Unquestionably gay, flag, management team check all the boxes. And the young wait staff are very cute.  It’s my refuge when the temperature hits the mid 30s (94F) and the drinks are cool 

Sign of change as i remember this location as having been a gay club with boys wearing numbers and then pre-Covid as a massage shop.

[vinapu]

welcome home!

 

reading this got me salivating for Bangkok and many guys and places inside it.

haggling over price by Swampy taxi driver sounds like novelty item, not that I have much of experience taking taxis there,  as noted I like the train.

very refreshing to read how somebody sees Silom ghetto after such long absence, as you do next round you will notice even more changes. 

Leaving hotel turn left on Suriwong and after 2 or 3 short blocks you will see XOne in the corner , in last few trips consistently having the best exchange rates.

Intrigued to know what that Tawan BDSM is, other venue under their umbrella? or it's just ad location across the bar? Tempted to jump on the plane to check myself .

nor surprised you carry tea to China, Sri Lankan is better

Have fun and don't forget about us !!!

p.s. you not only one missing Yoyo

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, ggobkk said:

.  Then to Hot Male road where the first sign of life was Vinapu’s breakfast location for sending his journeymen stamp collectors on their way

 

........  One thing to note: Mr Sam’s photos on the Spa’s site would not cause me to want to book him which would have been my loss.  

 

 

 

place deserves mentioning it's full name : Unesco Heritage, 7.5 Michelin star awarded Foodland Patpong

........

another post supporting my firmly held  theory - go and see for yourself, pics and recommendations will not replace eye-to eye contact and will not provide that smile

 

[Riobard]

Enjoyable report.

Newbie questions:

I am fairly fit but how exaggerated is the 1-mile walk from gate (arrival from Doha) to immigration clearance? 

I plan the rail link and BTS connections to get into town. Is there a baggage restriction? I’ll have one legal cabin size and one duffel-type bag adhering to conventional weight/size for plane hold stowage. Both pieces have wheels to offset weight bearing. The OP alluded to a threshold of luggage type restriction on the public transit.

Immigration seems reasonably close to the Metro station. I’d be embarking around 07:30 of a weekday morning, probably hitting rush hour at the BTS points.

I think there is a not uncomplicated ticket system for this plan called “rabbit”? I have plenty of time to look into it. 

[reader]

You'll definitely be hitting the airport train at rush hour but taxi would be worse option at that hour IMO.

Luggage no problem but at crowded times it gets really tight. But you have the advantage of getting on train at beginning of line so should get seat OK.

Easiest to pay with Thai coins or 100 baht bills for airport train and BTS / MRT.

Get train on lowest level of terminal.

[vinapu]

58 minutes ago, Riobard said:

Newbie questions:

I am fairly fit but how exaggerated is the 1-mile walk from gate (arrival from Doha) to immigration clearance? 

I plan the rail link and BTS connections to get into town. Is there a baggage restriction? I’ll have one legal cabin size and one duffel-type bag adhering to conventional weight/size for plane hold stowage. Both pieces have wheels to offset weight bearing. The OP alluded to a threshold of luggage type restriction on the public transit.

Immigration seems reasonably close to the Metro station. I’d be embarking around 07:30 of a weekday morning, probably hitting rush hour at the BTS points.

I think there is a not uncomplicated ticket system for this plan called “rabbit”? I have plenty of time to look into it. 

 

1 mile is exaggeration but not by much , from furthest gate to immigration it may be as much as 700-900 m I guess. After sitting who knows how many hours in the plane you will be grateful for the walk , believe me. There are toilets on the way  and conveyors if you not inclined to walk . Don't exchange money until you will hit railway station level in the basement unless you really must. Rates in air terminal are worse, not disastrously so but worse.

no restriction in luggage but OP concern was likely hauling heavy luggage down and up  the stairs on BTS (overhead rail ) and MRT (underground )

I agree with reader , you will be hitting rush hour so taxi is not necessarily fastest option and being stick in traffic is almost guaranteed.

Getting from immigration to railway station is easy - there are escalators , just keep going down and down.

Booth with good exchange rates are right at railway station to you left, at least 4 of them.

You can but ticket  for train  (45 baht ) in the machine which gives change or in ticket counter.

Rabbit card is valid  on BTS only ( two thick green lines  on your map)  . Airport train ( thin red line) and MRT ( everything else ) has separate ticket system and so do two SRT train lines not on your map and so does BTS Golden Line , two stops only to Icon Siam mall 9 short appendix on your map along the river.

Buying transit ticket is no problem but at times , specially on BTS there are substantial lines so Rabbit card is good idea, it costs 100 baht and you must load it initially with at least 100. After that you can add value on every  BTS station. It is valid 7 years and I'm still using one I purchased before Covid.

there's also day ticket valid on BTS only 

any questions , just ask

 

[zoomomancs]

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

welcome home!

 

reading this got me salivating for Bangkok and many guys and places inside it.

haggling over price by Swampy taxi driver sounds like novelty item, not that I have much of experience taking taxis there,  as noted I like the train.

very refreshing to read how somebody sees Silom ghetto after such long absence, as you do next round you will notice even more changes. 

Leaving hotel turn left on Suriwong and after 2 or 3 short blocks you will see XOne in the corner , in last few trips consistently having the best exchange rates.

Intrigued to know what that Tawan BDSM is, other venue under their umbrella? or it's just ad location across the bar? Tempted to jump on the plane to check myself .

nor surprised you carry tea to China, Sri Lankan is better

Have fun and don't forget about us !!!

p.s. you not only one missing Yoyo

Utterly agree that X One Surawong has the best rates to change money. Ignore all the other exchanges on Surawong. Or the gold shop and the red shutter place across the road from that on Thaniya are ok too. 

[Riobard]

I’ll depart from Canada with some USD and THB so that I have a few purchase mode options the first day and for backup/reserve throughout. I don’t get too bent out of shape about exchange rates for a single trip wherein I am supporting my cash-only financial needs for merely a few weeks. In the last 9 years with much international travel I haven’t used one single cash currency exchange outlet abroad but, if pressed, I would be more inclined to just suck up the rate than research an alternative. 

However, where credit card payment is not feasible, I do prefer to regularly obtain local cash stashes through bank ATMs using Mastercard or Visa patched through to my chequing accounts, for ‘entertainment’ purposes. I pay exchange but no interest. The most important aspect is reliability of ATM utilization. I imagine for Bangkok this is a good bet, right?

Europe is fine. Brazil is very touch-and-go; you often touch commands and go empty-handed. My all-time failure record is 13 ATMs spread across 4 separate bank locations and 3 bank institutions, for one single cash withdrawal goal to cover a night out. There are a few failsafe options, if in the neighbourhood they exist, to ensure a bundle for extended coverage. 

[floridarob]

4 hours ago, vinapu said:

reading this got me salivating for Bangkok and many guys and places inside it.

So we should expect to see reports that you are in BKK sooner than later.

[PeterRS]

6 hours ago, Riobard said:

I am fairly fit but how exaggerated is the 1-mile walk from gate (arrival from Doha) to immigration clearance? 

As @vinapu has pointed out, there are people movers along most of the routes from planes to Immigration. The actual amount of essential walking can not be more than about 100-150 meters.

6 hours ago, reader said:

You'll definitely be hitting the airport train at rush hour but taxi would be worse option at that hour IMO.

The morning rush hour traffic on the expressway into Bangkok is horrendous. The train is really the only option at that time and will be about one tenth or less of a taxi. There will be queues at the BKK station but trains depart quite frequently. I'd just join a queue until I could grab a seat - although the journey length is short.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, floridarob said:

So we should expect to see reports that you are in BKK sooner than later.

likely later, May or Jun is my usual time when I went to Thailand so yes , I should be there. In fact I landed in Swampy exactly one year ago to a day. This year though  life intervened or I should say multi-intervened and I can't plan for more than 2-3 weeks ahead. But as they say, hope dies last

[vinapu]

56 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

. I'd just join a queue until I could grab a seat - although the journey length is short.

OP comes from Canada, after 20 odd hours sitting on the planes, standing on the train all of the sudden becomes one of little life pleasures

 

4 hours ago, Riobard said:

I’ll depart from Canada with some USD and THB

........ 

I do prefer to regularly obtain local cash stashes through bank ATMs using Mastercard or Visa patched through to my chequing accounts The most important aspect is reliability of ATM utilization. I imagine for Bangkok this is a good bet, right?

 

you can bring CAD, no need to lose twice on exchange CAD to USD and USD to THB. 

......

no problem with ATM although keep in mind every time you withdraw money there's fee of 220 baht on top of what your bank may charge you at other end. 

Bangkok Bank ATM have 25000 bht withdrawal limit, Kasikorn's  only 20000

 

I meantime I believe ggobkk woke up and is readying to prepare materials for next report ,  LOL

 

[ggobkk]

Now, where did I leave off?  Oh, right, I was in recovery from Sun’s ministrations.  Today was still Saturday which was part of the election eve shut down of bars - the bars were ok to open but couldn’t sell alcohol.  Anticipating this I had been in Romeo dialogue with a money boy about sharing the bar shutdown - thinking we could learn about stamp collecting.  This conversation was going well until I enquirer as to his desired level of recompense.  I decided to go solo.  Yes, I have a weakness for the well formed who are handsome,  Unlike, Vinapu who tells us he likes axe-murder types, I have a weakness for other types.  “Bird” posted a series of photos to me that showed he was capable of being photographed.  Our video call confirmed it.  But his idea of recompense was at the level I put out for an evening with Babe (yes, that one) prior to his surgical procedures.  

So my night was now open and i did what any rational jet lagged massaged to bliss guy would do.  I took a nap.

I woke about three hours later and decided since I was staying next to Prime Massage what better to do for myself than two hours of foot and Thai massage.  No wait, excellent idea, I complimented myself during the foot massage, then as my back was bent and my limbs pulled from their sockets, I knew it was the right choice.

Leaving, I strolled to the areas where I’d normally go in the evening.  Dark, dark, dark.  From Surawong  to Silom on what I term the street of boys, only the French Kiss restaurant, the marijuana shop, and the NY TImes Best of Bangkok restaurant were open.  Only the dining spot had any customers.  I wandered over to soi 6 which was dark.  Only the massage shop on the left hand side was open with 6 boys looking at their phones. I had dinner at the German Restaurant and great conversation with the owner. There were two other customers inside with the air conditioning, and several outside in the heat.  I saw numerous tourists, locals, voyeurs taking pictures of the darkened street.

I returned to Quarter Silom alone to learn from @UberFacts that May is International Masturbation Month. So I celebrated.

 

[vinapu]

13 minutes ago, ggobkk said:

 I wandered over to soi 6 which was dark.  Only the massage shop on the left hand side was open with 6 boys looking at their phones. I had dinner at the German Restaurant..

 

do you mean soi 4 ? or there's German restaurant in soi 6 I don't know about

[vinapu]

16 minutes ago, ggobkk said:

Unlike, Vinapu who tells us he likes axe-murder types,

 

yes , I do. Term was actually coined by the late Firecat  when he witnessed whom I offed from BBB and was relieved to learn I'm alive next morning