Return to Thailand

[floridarob]

9 hours ago, Lucky said:

2500 baht for a short time? I feel really old.

Yes, You (we) are.....

9 hours ago, Lucky said:

Brazil rates are much lower.

Let's see for how long, BRL is creeping stronger....

8 hours ago, vinapu said:

right, for example what passage below is supposed to mean ?

9 hours ago, Riobard said:

Dialogue with fellow as in Romeo the Planet or it’s romantically the East and your Juliet the Sun? I think the app perchance? 

I fell on the floor 😆😆😆

[ggobkk]

9 hours ago, Lucky said:

2500 baht for a short time? I feel really old. On my first trip to Thailand the rate was 300 baht, maybe 400 for a gem.

Brazil rates are much lower.

The rate I mentioned was for a much in demand diamond among gems. Other short time pricing in Bangkok seems to hover around 2000 THB.  I’m told that Tawan is asking 4000.  I will do my best to check that out.  A decade ago I recall that 1200 was common.

[Riobard]

Okey-dokey, grasping the reason for the name given to the transit pass. Frith help us.

[ggobkk]

9 hours ago, Riobard said:

Please briefly (or unbriefly) remind us of the name and location of this firmly held breakfast sausage location. I’m extracting that it’s the Foodland also mentioned elsewhere.

More seriously, I cannot always figure out the actual name of dining and club venues described here in this thread. Sometimes the location is alluded to with references that a very BKK-experienced punter can identify but a newbie is left unsuccessfully trying to put it together with whatever clues provided. Posts are useful if audience targeted includes both insiders and outsiders. The fact that there is so much change in the scene over time and due to the pandemic adds to the confusion.

Example, James Beard listed restaurant. Or a club where people from other specifically named clubs happen to be present, but what is the name of the actual place this scene is going down.

It would take too long for me to go back and pull out snipped passages, so that’s OK. Just please going forward always identify a place when discussed. The artistic licence is fine, and fun. But please just take an additional few seconds to render the rapidly changing chessboard of any given day’s outing. 

Please don’t get me wrong. There’s nevertheless a plethora of useful content here. Who’d have thunk a currency note could stand in for a napkin wicking off the sweat of a cold drink? 😏

Thanks for the comment.  I tend to write my stream of words in one go and hit send.  The James Beard Reference continues a tradition of honoring Foodland for its 24 service and great pricing.  

When after almost two decades of being away, I was pulled into the life of Bangkok by a blog post called “Dancing with the Devil in the City of Angels”.  It can still be found on the blog Sawatdee Gay Thailand and still has relevant information.

Also know that certain forum members have met up when travel coincides with life and certain references are like inside baseball.  I plead guilty.  

If you have time, it can be enlightening to look up trip reports from Vinapu and Numazu (who frustratingly stops reports in mid dramatic moment)

If there is confusion where clarity would help, DM me

[Riobard]

I like gym-built guys, physique competitors but ripped competition shape not needed. There have been very useful clues on this forum about accessing that breed of hire-ables. Cost is not an issue but it’s helpful to know what is unfair to them or unnecessarily exorbitant for me. 

I have no interest in musculoskeletal massage be it amateurish or professional.

I’m not known for stream of consciousness and prefer crystalline clarity (😏😉) but I will reach out prn according to your kind invitation. I like your creative writing style and play on words is always fun. I think the secondary ‘glossary’ aspect will be manageable thru communication. Imma def track your historical content before long.

My trip is 4th quarter. I hadn’t actually intended to add so much volume on transit inquiry. 

[Riobard]

[delete]

[floridarob]

TL;DR 😆

[Riobard]

38 minutes ago, Riobard said:

2 hours ago, floridarob said:

Let's see for how long, BRL is creeping stronger.... 

——-
Riobard:

Not when applying exchange factors. In my currency, lowest in BRL payment range 8 years ago is higher than upper point in range of what others are saying they’re paying these days, and what I am sometimes but not always paying. There isn’t a consistently upwards unidirectional alteration in costs. You cannot compare cost changes between nations. They bounce up and down according to purchase power as well as each of two nations’ specific exchange variability patterns. This doesn’t even include purchaser income increase factor. 

I haven’t yet looked at TBH alterations because the history is not relevant to me for temporal comparison, but Brazil is as good or better a deal now than the excellent deal it was a decade ago based solely on the longstanding hiring payment differences as always trended in the West. 

Obviously a first time visitor will have a different baseline from which to evaluate later alterations as being appealing or dismaying. The anchor point predominantly defines future perspective. My example is as arbitrary as any and as much a waste of breath as any.

I have a history of dabbling in ‘pro bono’ consultation on pay equity appeals oriented to the appellant claim, yielding several cumulative millions of wage dollars. I am quick to apprise Brazilian escorts of contextual factors that legitimize their expectations, along the lines discussed above. I don’t think this figures prominently in their inclination to ask above what punters are counting on but it does behoove me to be transparent and fairly share micro-level economic factors with them.

It can go like: “That’s it?! You accept being cheated this much?” I especially love doing it with the ones I’ll never hire but with whom a few minutes of biz chat is executed. 

 

[Riobard]

17 minutes ago, floridarob said:

TL;DR 😆

Respect. You’re too modest to claim but you irrefutably have it down to an art, a complex and nuanced cut above, and actually don’t need to read or report on 💸for 🍆

[ggobkk]

My body decided I need to sleep in after I’d said good bye to #10 Sam.  When I did wake up - thanks to the miracle of jet lag it was still only mid morning.  I had breakfast in the hotel - fairly standard but I noticed that there is some experimenting such as cheesy potatoes, Italian chicken, etc.  The western basics are never warm enough scrambled eggs and Thai versions of corn flakes and puffed rice.  

The main thing on my schedule today was originally a tour but since my four hand massage had been confirmed, I put off the tour until tomorrow (Tuesday).  Guide was happy as he had another client who wanted his services.  WIn/Win.

My toes and feet were showing some wear and tear and when I was at MBK I wandered about looking for the shop that was my Bangko base for pedicures.  Gone, gone due to covid.  So I did what any responsible pedicure-ist would do, I asked Google.  He/She/It/They made suggestions and one, Nailosophy, was nearby on a Sala Daeng side alley.

I walked into a small crowded shop. The manageress, a bubbly young woman, welcomed me and plunked my now shoeless and sockless feet into some bubbly hot water.  I, the only male in the vicinity, was then ignored for 20 minutes while the staff worked with four other clients who were in various stages of selecting polish for their nails (hand and toes) and the designs and colors of said extremities.  In addition all had their attention drawn to televised election results.  I mention this as whenever the video showed Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the party that used orange as its color, was shown, an almost sexual sign went up from the the depths.  I suspect the fact that Pita is handsome and sexy might have had something to do with the reaction as a “desire” for change.  

Eventually, my feet were tended to and my nails were added to the options for improvement and the cost was 700 THB about a third of such service at home.  Recommended.

On much improved feet I wandered around checking out the marijuana shops - the number of them and the size and location. Coming from Berkeley, a California city that 20 years ago instructed its police not to enforce marijuana prohibitions and was one of the first to approve sales and shops, I was still surprised by how the shops here seemed to be everywhere.  It might be the “hood” but it’s there.  Wondering what passengers on flights from Thailand were now screened for.  Must drive the drug sniffing dogs to madness.

The rest of the day was another nap, some swimming, and a return to Coffee Grinder - which was closed but the owners were doing some clean up so there was a chance to learn some more.  The owner/managers are a couple Phillipe and Paco from France. Phillipe is the baker who creates various fresh pasties and cakes and encourages his customers to try some on the spot fried bread options (tastes way better than I can describe it).  Note this shop became my morning staple for a beverage and pastry and an afternoon stop for a smoothy.

As the sun went down, I headed to K-Man Spa via BTS for my meet up with Sun.  There had been some back and forth as to confirming that the third would be Fin.  Neither Sun nor I were confused but the Spa texted to make sure what I was looking for could be arranged. Finally, Sun explained to the manager that the shop would get the business but the arrangements had been made without their active involvement

I arrived, Sun was waiting, the manager on duty explained the charges (1000 THB for a couples room for 2 hours, tips up to me).  Once in the room, I had a shower (down hall), passing one other client and therapist on their way to their space.  Fin arrived.  Massage begins….and, like a bad dramatist, I will draw the curtain on our activities.  I have a limited imagination but will note nothing was left to the imagination and I also had a good massage. One of the only times I’ve been exhausted by a massage.

For the accountants - I tipped each what I paid #10 Sam for short time.  THB well spent.

Back to Silom with the intention of catching either Moonlight or Jupiter’s show.  It started to rain as I exited the BTS.  Reaching soi 4, I decided to get out of the rain and get some food.  Three steps into the soi and the champion grabber grabbed me and took me to Circus telling me that Pao was back.

Long timers on this forum, will recall an earlier time when there was a place called Twilight and at the fulcrum point was a drinks and food spot called Maxi’s.  Positioned so that both public and employees of the many clubs and venues would pass by, smile to regulars at Maxi’s, chat, have dinks bought for them and by them.  Delightfully presiding over Maxi’s was the owner assisted by his waiters led by Pao.  Not only was Pao a source of information, a postal box to pass messages to regulars, but he was so incredibly handsome and sexy in the most down to earth manner.  He was, damn it, straight. I know I lusted after him more than any off.  

Then Twilight began to evaporate, Maxi’s announced its closing and Pao told the customers  that he had invested in a farm back at home where his parents and son lived and would return there.

We lost touch, Covid came, word drifted that Pao was back in Bangkok as his farm had failed because of covid preventing him from transporting his fruit and produce.  
I’d mentioned this on Sunday to the grabber, who told me that Pao was working on soi 4 but was back at home as his father was sick with cancer.  (Amazing what one can learn from folks!!).

That lengthy preamble out of the way, the grabber propelled me to Circus and a reunion (joyful) with Pao.  I realize such stream of consciousness babbling on my part isn’t what readers necessarily want to know.  BUT for many years, this man was the center point information, hospitality, charm, and steady handsome integrity.  (And lust object). We had a great time catching up while he was tending to his job.  Thank the rain gods for having me turn on soi 4.

Leaving I thanked the grabber who propelled me into Banana, business is business.  Same positive welcome, reinforced by the tips I’d left the night before.  Better seating, completely different show than the one I’d seen the night before.  Lots more male to male lip syncing, plots,etc. As two staff placed my hands on their private places, I could see the room was again full, significant number of women.  One table ofAsian high rollers (bottle service) was occupying Madam Lucy’s time and attention but not completely as she spotted me and was over for a kiss.  Knowing the drill, but not resisting,I knew a tip would be expected.  It was given once I freed my hands.

This had been an extraordinary several hours.  Exceptionally exceptional massage service.  Reuniting with Pao, then some enjoyable time at Banana.  On my way back to the hotel, I thought I should get the number of my Sunday night off from Freshboys, I did,  it is #7.

Quan one of the waiters at Freshboys offered to go to my hotel.  We go back with some history and arranged an afternoon meet - which avoids the higher off fee for waiters (800 THB).  

Immediately went to sleep once I was in my room.  So exhausted physically buy buoyed by finding Pao, I fell asleep/passed out.

[vinapu]

16 minutes ago, ggobkk said:

 

Immediately went to sleep once I was in my room.  So exhausted physically buy buoyed by finding Pao, I fell asleep/passed out.

that should cure your jet lag definitely.

Looks like Banana becomes your bar central and I'm not surprised. Lucy finally got you !

I'm intrigued by that Coffee Grinder , seems like nice place to spy Tawan boys coming to work while feasting on French pastries.

I have feeling I know whom you meet tonight.  

[ggobkk]

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

that should cure your jet lag definitely.

Looks like Banana becomes your bar central and I'm not surprised. Lucy finally got you !

I'm intrigued by that Coffee Grinder , seems like nice place to spy Tawan boys coming to work while feasting on French pastries.

I have feeling I know whom you meet tonight.  

The Coffee Grinder is next to the relocated Tawan.  The Tawan men and boys are friendly to Phillipe and Paco.  They keep the coffee shop open until 9 just prior to bewitching hour.  They told me this morning that they have four rooms in their building that can be rented.  One can wonder and speculate (and probably be correct) on what the rooms were used for in the past.

 

[ggobkk]

Tomorrow (Thursday) at dawn I fly to Beijing for a week of catching up with special friends.  I wont know if the Forum is accessible from within the Great Wall of internet curbs.  So, I will post a run down of Tuesday and as much as possible about today, Wednesday, that I can write before going off to meet esteemed forum guru reader who has only this afternoon arrived from his secret location in the US.

Backing up to Tuesday. This to my mind was a day of being disappointed by others.  Originally, I had rescheduled my guided tour of some sites that had been morphing over the past 4 years.  Guide due at 9am. 9:30 no show, no message, no call.  Grrrrrrr.

So I went to my hangout, Coffee Grinder Silom and was cheered up by the infectious camaraderie.  I did some walking around this time looking up to observe how Bangkok was expanding upwards.  

Then knowing I had a 3pm appointment to meet one of the waiters from Freshboys, I did some preliminary packing, adding a Patpong knockoff backpack duffle bag to store things I wont need in China that would add weight needlessly to travels. I’d already decided to return to Quarter Silom when I come back from Beijing via a stop in Pattaya and the hotel tells me with a smile that they will store my knockoff luggage.

3pm arrives and….grrrrr.  What is it with me today, did I turn into a toad?  No show again, I text and retext.  Repeat the morning remedy with a smoothy at Coffee Grinder and a massage at Prime.  Around 6pm, 3pm-er is texting that he overslept and could I come tonight and take him from the club.  I say no, gently remind him that the idea was me to avoid the 800 THB off fee.  

I go Silom Center for some exercise and to extract some baht from an ATM.  The One currency exchange at Siam Heritage wouldn’t change my $100 US bills as they had the blue laser tag line down the center.  Confused as newer Thai currency also has a similar laser line.  Cash is one thing, ATMs are another.  I like the one at the bank in Silom Center as a human banker will break the larger notes into smaller. 

I am now getting texts from another  Freshboys waiter I know. This one looks like a Vietnamese version of Taron Edgerton (mea culpa, looking for looks).  We arrange to end the evening together.  As I’m on Silom, I drop by Circus and have a drink with Pao as he works a sparsely populated section.  Customers come in, I say good bye and walk over to Hot Male Bar where the Laotian will lavish much needed attention on me.  Which they do.  The no-show waiter comes over as does the soon to be my evening guest.  No-show suggests he get it right on Wednesday.  Suspecting that saying yes is easier than arguing as he doesn’t seem to be able to function in the afternoon.  Freshboys Mamasan sees her staff in the Hot Male Bar tells them to leave me alone and has a drink, downing a Leo in one swig!  Impressed the Laos (and me).

I tell tonight’s entertainment that I am going to checkout the show at Moonlight and will come back and off him.  He offers to join me, I decline as I want to get there early to check out the rotation as many Forum reports mention that its not what it used to be.  Forum is correct.  18 - 20 boys in the rotation, three at a time.  A mamasan who once worked with Lucy at the bar across from Maxi’s on Twilight becomes my guide telling me who speaks English, who will do this or that or both.  Guys are in long pants and wearing. black Moonlight T shirts.  Three of the guys wear glasses.  Three cheers for the myopic (I one of them).

One guy, from the far south of Thailand, appeals to me.  Mamasan has him come over and Huc (#38) reeks of charm,smiles broadly, and is well constructed on the tall side.  After some conversation, I tell him, I’m already committed for tonight.  I give him some red notes and receive a hug and a kiss.  He is off, Iask Mamasan where the crowd is as it is almost 10 and it’s more than sparse.  Guess I should have checked with Google and not the Hot Male Laotians as Moonlioght has a 10:30 show time…Mamasan says it really starts at 10:45.  I decide to leave and pick up my waiter.

At Freshboys, I decide to watch the end of the rotation and with my waiter now seated next to me, and my no-show hovering, I see #7 (see Sunday’s report).  Smile and he joins our grouping which includes visits from Mamasan.  #7 still is as striking as before and still as young looking.  Decide I will survive without some diva acts and pole ringing cocks, I say good bye to #7 and as I go to give him some red notes, he nudges my hand away and says “no, you have good heart, thanks” and returns to the rotation.

Waiter Taron Edgerton and I depart.  He also knows the hotel.  We have a moderately active time together and I receive a massage post release.  In normal Viet style there are something’s he wouldn’t do, I knew that would be the case, so a good time was had by all.  As he was leaving, in trueVIet style, he asked if I could give him some extra baht so he might attend a basketball tournament in Cambodia.  In my style, I said, sorry but no. And I went to bed.

 

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, ggobkk said:

 They told me this morning that they have four rooms in their building that can be rented.  One can wonder and speculate (and probably be correct) on what the rooms were used for in the past.

 

that could be quite economical option for the soi as I , while liking Quarter , consider it overpriced with it's modern, well organized  but postcard sized rooms.

as for the rooms use - the same can be speculated and be correct about any room in any hotel in the area, even those apparently guest unfriendly.

Great report again and again. I'm glad you stand your ground denying another meeting after guy missed his appointment and declining request of further contribution to your waiter Taron request.

Even in heat of the action we need some internal discipline , otherwise boys may use lack of it for further concessions. Guy oversleeping his appointment shows how he values  your custom, taking it for granted.

I'd not hire that no-show guide either, even if he had very good excuse (accident etc ) he should say something later during the day.  

On subject of leaving luggage with hotel  my experience is that they do it gladly even if we don't return to them. Hotels understand that there's always next trip.

[Riobard]

8 hours ago, ggobkk said:

The Coffee Grinder is next to the relocated Tawan.  The Tawan men and boys are friendly to Phillipe and Paco.  They keep the coffee shop open until 9 just prior to bewitching hour.  They told me this morning that they have four rooms in their building that can be rented.  One can wonder and speculate (and probably be correct) on what the rooms were used for in the past.

 

Oh I think the rooms are for decaffeinated drinkers as they are more likely to need a nap. Everybody here has such a dirty one-track mind. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be named The Coffee Grindr? 

[vinapu]

40 minutes ago, Riobard said:

 Everybody here has such a dirty one-track mind.

we are talking about Silom area. Closest churches are by St Louis BTS or on opposite side of Lumpini Park 

[Riobard]

40 minutes ago, vinapu said:

we are talking about Silom area. Closest churches are by St Louis BTS or on opposite side of Lumpini Park 

Is there a clang clang clang ding ding ding zing zing zing en route to St Louis? 

Have you ever made it past the park on your way to prayerful intentions? 

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Riobard said:

Have you ever made it past the park on your way to prayerful intentions? 

Of course. If you took seriously Ggobkk earlier advice and read my travel reports you 'd know already.

here it is :

https://www.gayguides.com/forums/topic/37210-third-time-lucky-december-2021-trip-to-thailand-in-covid-time/page/8/

Day 20

 

[zoomomancs]

"3pm arrives and….grrrrr.  What is it with me today, did I turn into a toad?  No show again, I text and retext.  Repeat the morning remedy with a smoothy at Coffee Grinder and a massage at Prime.  Around 6pm, 3pm-er is texting that he overslept and could I come tonight and take him from the club.  I say no, gently remind him that the idea was me to avoid the 800 THB off fee."

Are you able to share the number of the no show? 

[ggobkk]

1 hour ago, zoomomancs said:

"3pm arrives and….grrrrr.  What is it with me today, did I turn into a toad?  No show again, I text and retext.  Repeat the morning remedy with a smoothy at Coffee Grinder and a massage at Prime.  Around 6pm, 3pm-er is texting that he overslept and could I come tonight and take him from the club.  I say no, gently remind him that the idea was me to avoid the 800 THB off fee."

Are you able to share the number of the no show? 

I made a choice in writing the post not to name/number him. He is not the only boy over the last decade who didn’t have a clock and whose watch was from the night market and doesn’t work once it leaves the vendor.  Since no upfront cash was involved added to a store of experience.  However, I am able to post that #95 waiter (Taron Edgerton) was a more than satisfactory substitution.