Random Observations of a Tourist

[Guest]

Pattaya Bars

Well, my favourite gogo bar is still Funny Boys. They have a large number of staff, varying in style & I found about 8~10 of them to be particularly attractive. Including no 1, 14, 24, 30, 52.

Number 52 was very attractive indeed, but ruled himself out by staring resolutely at the wall above the heads of any customers in the bar. If they cannot make eye contact from a distance of 2 metres, things tend not to improve at 2 cm distance. No 1 & 24 had much more engaging smiles.

The rotation is rather slow, so be prepared to spend some time in this bar (no hardship at all).

Also, the sexy underwear night on Saturday is well worth a visit.

This bar had more customers than any of the other gogo bars I visited (excluding show bars from the comparison, as that's a different type of business).

Toy Boys is a much smaller scale operation, with about 10 staff, of which about 1~2 were appealing to my eye.

Cupidol has deteriorated again, with fewer staff & those they had were rather too large for my tastes. I was the only customer & the mamasan advised me Pattaya was quiet this year. Well, 2 minutes later I was in Funny Boys, which was almost full. Enough said. Had Cupidol been as good as it was 2~3 years ago, they would have more customers.

 

I skipped Lucky 777, as the door staff tried to physically drag me into the building. Wrong tactic gentlemen.

 

Kawai had a long stage with about half a dozen guys at the end of it near the door. I was led to the end furthest from the door, past seats occupied by other staff sitting together & a few customers. I declined their offer to face an empty part of the stage & left, although had the staff been more attractive, I would have accepted twisting my neck for half an hour.

 

Vasa is a gogo bar with some real go & movement on stage. A couple of attractive guys & a stunning 20+ waiter behind the stage. Check ID cards.

 

Happy Place had music that was too loud, so I got no further than the doorway. All that advertising is wasted if loud music is turning the customers away.

 

Euro Boys

My favourite bar in Sunee. Small number of staff, but several nice ones

Nice Boys & Happy Boys also deserve a positive mention.

 

Gay Romeo

Well, I just used it for reading on this trip. Many of the people listed there also work in the bars & some are even posting photos taken inside the bar where they work.

 

 

Other Businesses Deserving Comment

Gafae Coffe shop. Pleasant coffee shop near Tuk Com, with more chance of getting a comfy seat than Starbucks.

The Food Corner. Basic, but offering both western breakfasts, including continental breakfast AND a number of Thai options which achieve the rare feat of satisfying guests at breakfast.

 

Flamingo Hotel

Rooms from 690~1200 baht, convenient location, clean & a very good deal for the money.

Smart Massage. Good quality massage (all over). Recommended.

I still enjoy visiting the beach, but it is better to try & avoid sitting next to noisy drunken Russians. These can usually be spotted with several empty beer bottles & a half empty bottle of spirits from about 12:00 onwards.

 

Other people met at the beach included one guy who spent the holiday staying in $50~70 dollar hotels, but seemed to be abnormally careful watching his expenditure on beach chairs & so on. I don't know why he didn't just get a $35 dollar hotel room & use the money saved to live a little.

 

Also, there was a Thai guy who quite openly admitted to stringing along 2 German boyfriends who arrive at different times of the year.

[Rogie]

I still enjoy visiting the beach, but it is better to try & avoid sitting next to noisy drunken Russians. These can usually be spotted with several empty beer bottles & a half empty bottle of spirits from about 12:00 onwards.

 

Other people met at the beach included one guy who spent the holiday staying in $50~70 dollar hotels, but seemed to be abnormally careful watching his expenditure on beach chairs & so on. I don't know why he didn't just get a $35 dollar hotel room & use the money saved to live a little.

 

Also, there was a Thai guy who quite openly admitted to stringing along 2 German boyfriends who arrive at different times of the year.

Good report.

 

All human life laid bare on the beach, I wonder if people are more open there to share a confidence with a stranger . . . those 30 baht deck chairs are the perfect place to unwind. A pity some people can't seem to relax, perhaps the 'abnormally careful' guy had been stung by one of the beach salesman in the past and as a consequence regarded everyone as a potential conman (I have to say I have never had any problems with any of the salesmen, most seem good natured, and I would hope, reasonably honest). Do the 'noisy drunken' Russians carry on from the night before or do they spend all evening in sobriety, only to let their hair down in precisely the kind of place where most other users are looking for a bit of peace and quiet?

[Guest anonone]

Great report.

Your bar report pretty much mirrors my impressions.

Funny Boys is reliably good. I like Vasa and Euroboys. Splash was also a lot of fun last month...did you happen to stop in there? I believe same owner as Vasa.

 

Another more specific question regarding Gafae Coffee shop:

I am staying in Day/Night later this month, so interested in this shop. Any idea what time it opens in the morning?

 

I tend to not sleep much during my short visits and I struggle to find a coffee shop open in the early morning. I think Starbucks (Beach Rd) doesn't open until 9. Anyone know of a place in South Pattya with good coffee (not instant) that opens up early?

 

Hope you continue to have a great trip.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Hi Z,

 

Between your bar reports and beach photos, I remain duly impressed. You seem to have the same tastes as mine, although I wish I had this report a few weeks ago since I was in Pattaya for only one night visiting a few friends. It would have been very useful, but alas-- que sera!

 

I am surprised about the music volume in Happy Place, the one time I went there it did not seem uncomfortable. I hope you go back sometime and try it again. Might have been an off night, sound-wise. They have a lot to offer and put quite a bit of effort in making sure their customers are happy. Unfortunately on that night, it was not right for you.

 

I spent some time in Funny Boys and agree with your assessment completely. It is one of my favorite bars. They mostly do everything right there, don't they? The night I was in town, I witnessed something that made me a little sad and angry. I was sitting next to one of their boys who was talking to a farang customer. It was packed, and I could not help but hear their conversation. After half-an hour of promises from this farang to come back and off the boy another night, he exited after giving him only a 20-baht tip! Unbelieveable! 20 baht! I called the boy over and told him how I felt and in his charming modest way explained "some farang don't have much money." I do think he was a little put off, but that's how sweet these guys in FB are, and why I like coming to this bar. It made me sad he had invested his time for so little and it made me angry the farang got away with his cheap tip and bogus promises. I wonder what he would have paid for an off. Anyway, I had the boy come and sit with us, and he talked to the boyfriend for a half-hour and I tipped the boy 300 baht. Some might think I am a silly old fool for doing that, but let me tell you, I felt a lot better when I walked out of that bar than when I came in! There are times when you just want some justice done, and that seemed the best way to compensate. The lad was very happy and appreciative and we enjoyed his company that night.

 

I still do not understand the lure of GayRomeo. It seems like 99% of the people I talk to swear by it. That's fine, and I won't knock it till I've tried it. I'm not sure of your experience with GR, but on this trip you seemed to have a passive interest. At least with bars you can see all the eye candy you want without any commitment and that's just what I like. There is nothing like that live, initial first meeting with your heart pounding from a mutual gaze and I haven't found anything yet that replaces that feeling. I live in the virtual world so often otherwise, I can't seem to extend it into my lifestyle for meeting new people, especially since I have someone who fulfills my every need, anyway. I hope I don't sound too jaded, but I would be interested in your thoughts and experiences with GR-- perhaps to see what I or anyone else might be missing out on versus the bar or beach scene, which you certainly seem to have down pat!

 

Thanks for reading my long-winded analysis. I truly and eagerly digest everything you post here. Don't ever stop.

 

--tw

[Gaybutton]

I still do not understand the lure of GayRomeo.

I have a few reasons why I prefer Gay Romeo to the bars. Living here, the go-go bars lost their fascination for me long ago. I almost wish that wasn't the case, but now I prefer looking for young gents from the comfort of my home, rather than spending the evening bar hopping and spending money on drinks I don't want, the obligatory "drink for boy," off fees, excessively loud music volume, etc. I just don't enjoy the go-go bars anywhere near as much as I used to. When I was here for holidays and even when I first lived here, if I missed a night in the bars, I felt like I was depriving myself of something. Now, the bars simply are no longer a priority for me. I still do go to the bars every so often, but I find all I want using Gay Romeo.

 

With Gay Romeo, I don't even have to leave the house. If I find a willing young gent, twenty minutes later he's knocking on my door. No drinks. No off fees.

 

When a farang takes a boy off from a bar, if he returns to the bar the same boy often assumes the farang came back for him. Some people find it very awkward and uncomfortable to call over a different boy and reject the boy he had already taken off. There's really no reason for that, but if it is a problem for you, that problem doesn't exist when using Gay Romeo.

 

Another reason I like Gay Romeo is not every boy is a money boy. In the bars, by the time you're done, you can easily go through several thousand baht just finding the one who attracts you the most, and he's not interested in going with you or even sitting with you unless he's paid to do so. I've met many guys on Gay Romeo who not only are not money boys, but won't even let me pay their taxi fare. I'll be damned if I have the slightest clue why they would be attracted to me, but I'm sure not going to argue with them about it.

 

Gay Romeo is certainly not for everyone. With the gay bar scene here, I would think most holiday makers prefer that to sitting on a computer. The bar scene is the reason many come here in the first place. Many want to see the person live rather than relying on photos placed on Gay Romeo.

 

Another reason to use Gay Romeo - not everyone lives in Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, or anywhere else where a gay bar scene exists at all. Even many who come to Thailand for a holiday are not interested in the bar scene or coming to cities such as Pattaya. It's not their thing. Gay Romeo can come in mighty handy in such locations.

 

I also like Gay Romeo because quite often I prefer to meet guys in the afternoon rather than at night. Sometimes the morning too. The bars are open only at night. Gay Romeo has plenty of guys available 24/7 - even on holidays when the bars have to be closed. With Gay Romeo, if you wake up at 5:00am and are feeling a little frisky, there will be guys on Gay Romeo even at that hour.

 

It all depends on your point of view, what you're looking for, and how you prefer to do your looking.

[atri1666]

Well done GB. Exactly my opinion. I also like mostly my fun more in the daytime.

[KhorTose]

I had the boy come and sit with us, and he talked to the boyfriend for a half-hour and I tipped the boy 300 baht. Some might think I am a silly old fool for doing that, but let me tell you, I felt a lot better when I walked out of that bar than when I came in! There are times when you just want some justice done, and that seemed the best way to compensate. The lad was very happy and appreciative and we enjoyed his company that night.

 

I don't think anyone with any decency would think anything but "well done".

[firecat69]

For the Op. I agree that you should give Happy Place another chance. I was there last night for the show and the music was fine and getting to see the BBoys is just so entertaining. The OP also mentioned he liked Euroboys then I suggest you should look at New Sawatdee. Same type boys and some really cute ones..

 

I cannot improve on what Gaybutton wrote on Gayromeo and I completely agree.

[Guest fountainhall]

Well, my favourite gogo bar is still Funny Boys . . . The rotation is rather slow

I will be in Pattaya next month and it's great to have your report.

 

From my past experience, I agree with your comment about Funny Boys. I have always noticed the rotation is slow, and, unlike you, I find that to be one of the bar's negatives. I am never in Pattaya for more than about 3 nights, and so I want to see each of the boys in half an hour or so. I can then decide whether to linger or move on. Since they have usually had over 20 boys, the full rotation sometimes took way over an hour. I just think that's too slow.

 

Another reason I like Gay Romeo is not every boy is a money boy

I have said on another thread that this seems to be much more the case in Bangkok than in Pattaya. I rarely come across money boys on the BKK page

[Guest Astrrro]

For guys who like ladyboys there is a third option, Coconut Bar, sort of halfway between the Bars and Gay Romeo.

 

I have a friend who really dislikes bars, much more than GB who like me is an expat who has had fill of most bars. This guy never liked bars. He feels trapped, unable to get out of unwanted conversations with potential partners.

 

What he likes is that at Coconut Bar he can do a quick 10 second interview and then move on if the ladyboy is not to his liking. It is not even a personal rejection as the ladyboy might think he is looking for ladies.

 

True, he has to leave home, but he doesn't want some erratic nutter high as a kite showing up at his door so he likes meeting them in person before sexual relations.

 

Going rate for Beach Road ladyboys is 500 baht but he gives them 600 when she leaves his room. Based on some comments above, this may appear excessively cheap. I am neither condemning nor condoning, rather I am simply reporting what is.

 

I don't see too many boys along Beach Road but plenty of ladyboys if that's your cup of tea.

[Guest]

Funny Boys certainly do things the right way. Cute adult staff, friendly mamasan & waiters, clean bathrooms & good service.

The rotation is a tad slow, but there's nothing stopping customers from making eye contact with staff sat down at any particular time. I did just that, got the most adorable smile back & within about 10 seconds he was sitting next to me. Also for my tastes, Funny Boys has as about the same number of exceptionally attractive staff as ALL the other Pattaya gogo bars combined. So why not spend some time there?

 

I was sitting next to one of their boys who was talking to a farang customer. It was packed, and I could not help but hear their conversation. After half-an hour of promises from this farang to come back and off the boy another night, he exited after giving him only a 20-baht tip! Unbelieveable! 20 baht!

One of the Funny Boys told me he was sitting with a Farang for almost 2 hours and received a 120 baht tip. He was rather unhappy, as that reduced his chances of getting a large tip for getting offed that night. Perhaps 120 baht would have been about right for 30 minutes or less, but not 2 hours.

Anyhow, this guy did earn several thousand baht over a few nights from one smitten farang....

 

One friend always tells the gogo boys he's a butterfly & may off other people next time he's in the bar. That's discussed before he even leaves the bar, so there's no psychological pressure to off the same guy next time. A good idea.

 

I believe Gafae Coffee shop normally opens from 8:00 am.

[Rogie]

The night I was in town, I witnessed something that made me a little sad and angry. I was sitting next to one of their boys who was talking to a farang customer. It was packed, and I could not help but hear their conversation. After half-an hour of promises from this farang to come back and off the boy another night, he exited after giving him only a 20-baht tip! Unbelieveable! 20 baht!

 

Going rate for Beach Road ladyboys is 500 baht but he gives them 600 when she leaves his room. Based on some comments above, this may appear excessively cheap. I am neither condemning nor condoning, rather I am simply reporting what is.

 

One of the Funny Boys told me he was sitting with a Farang for almost 2 hours and received a 120 baht tip. He was rather unhappy, as that reduced his chances of getting a large tip for getting offed that night. Perhaps 120 baht would have been about right for 30 minutes or less, but not 2 hours.

 

I quote these snippets to make the point that not everybody has a perfect grasp of sex-related etiquette. I agree some men are genuinely stingy and jolly well know they under-tip, but there must be a fair number who are do not know and have to make a guess, in the process either under or over-tipping. There are many reasons for this: the most obvious is that he may be new to the gay scene in Thailand - not everybody reads message boards such as these and even if he does discussions about tipping only surface every so often so he may not see any and quite possibly has given no thought to tipping beforehand. He could quite likely be overwhelmed by so many new and strange experiences, and in the bar setting at least, suddenly realise he's expected to give a tip, feels a flood of embarrassment and makes a fool of himself by under-tipping. Or prosaically, he could just be drunk. How many of us can honestly say he has always known the exact amount that's appropriate for all situations? I look back and wince when I think how I made a few under-tipping mistakes in my 'ignorant' early days in Thailand.

[Guest]

Or prosaically, he could just be drunk. How many of us can honestly say he has always known the exact amount that's appropriate for all situations?

 

I also observed one drunken tourist grope a few people in Euroboys, before being escorted out without having bought any beers or paid any tips.

 

As for the amount to tip, well that often results in much debate on these forums.

 

One useful point is to ensure the wallet is well stacked with a variety of notes before visiting the bars. 100s & 20s are particularly useful in the bars. If the bar service is slow, you can just pay the intended amount & not have to wait for them to return with the change.

20 baht seems to be the smallest amount to tip someone for making a good effort dancing & 100 baht upwards for someone who sit with you for a short while. More for longer.

Then when back at the hotel, it's always reassuring to have a 1000 baht note, plus another 1000 in 100s.

 

On the way to the bars, change can easily be obtained by visiting a 7-11 & buying a bottle of water with a 1000 baht note. Arranging the notes in sequence helps too 1000, 500, 100, 20. That avoids expensive mistakes like mixing 500s & 100s.

 

Tips left when paying at bars often just get handed over to the cashier. I've no idea if that goes to the bar owner or the staff, but the tip does not seem to go into a separate tin. Some waiters & mamasans are so pushy I make a point of not tipping them, but even where service merits a tip, it looks like the tip does not end up with the intended recipient. So I usually concentrate on tipping the boys.

 

I visited Panorama a couple of times. That's a nice place to sit & watch people going by in Boystown, particularly if you have some pleasant company. Considering the location, drink prices are OK & if Rits beach service have handed you some of those "50% of any single drink" vouchers, it's even more reasonable. They even knock the 50% off the more expensive of the 2 drinks.

Incidentally, Funny Boys dancers get a small cut of the drink price for bringing customers here (if they remember to ask).

[Guest Motel69]

I struggle to find a coffee shop open in the early morning. I think Starbucks (Beach Rd) doesn't open until 9. Anyone know of a place in South Pattya with good coffee (not instant) that opens up early?

 

 

Try Wawee Coffee. It's around the corner from Beach Rd., on the left, on that final street onto which all traffic must turn left or crash through the barriers onto Walking Street. It opens at 7 a.m., and its coffee totally kicks ass. The espresso and capuccino are much, much better than Starbucks' equivalents. It's a Starbucks knockoff (modern design, comfortable furniture) that uses beans grown in Thailand. Very relaxing space. The wifi is not free, but it doesn't cost nearly as much as Starbucks', either.

 

Also, The Coffee Club, a restaurant in the Royal Garden mall, on the first floor and on the Second Rd. side of the mall, also has decent coffee, not to mention decent breakfast fare. Also, its wifi is free. It also opens at 7 a.m. I recommend Wawee Coffee for your first cup of the day, then heading over to Coffee Club for breakfast and a second cup.

 

I was in Pattaya for three nights last week. My first time there in I don't know how long. And I actually liked it. It was fun. Really fun. Some of the go-go bars were surprisingly exciting. And the beer bars, while not exciting, were just great, too.

 

All the new development -- at least it was new to me -- came as a shock. I couldn't believe all the luxury. That new Hilton looks awesome. I WANT to stay there. The views must be incredible. And the pool looks just plain slick.

 

It's attached to a huge new mall that seems so out of place. How could a little beach town like Pattaya support so much retail space? Obviously Pattaya isn't so little anymore.

 

But it still had a great, intoxicating beach town vibe. And I think all those Russians lend it that. And some of the young Russian guys on the beach were really hot. I'm infatuated with Asians and never take a second look at other white guys, but the slim, young Russians had me in a trance.

 

Pattaya suffers in only one aspect of tourism. Compared to Bangkok, the food sucks.

[Guest]

It's attached to a huge new mall that seems so out of place. How could a little beach town like Pattaya support so much retail space? Obviously Pattaya isn't so little anymore.

 

But it still had a great, intoxicating beach town vibe. And I think all those Russians lend it that. And some of the young Russian guys on the beach were really hot. I'm infatuated with Asians and never take a second look at other white guys, but the slim, young Russians had me in a trance.

 

 

Pattaya is certainly no longer little & has recently been packed with tourists.

Also, the staff in these large shiny shopping malls are probably paid between 10& 20% of the hourly rate their equivalents in Western Europe. However, maybe the pricing & therefore the gross margins for consumer goods are comparable with what I see in Europe. So perhaps these outlets can be profitable on much lower turnover.

I also note the staff in many of the airport shops comfortably outnumber the customers, which I take to be another result of low salary levels.

 

Whilst there are attractive Russians around, the young ones on the beach were predominantly noisy drunken slobs.

I got a much better impression when actually visiting Russia. More cute guys. Also as they were not on holiday, some were even sober in the afternoon.

[Guest anonone]

Try Wawee Coffee. It's around the corner from Beach Rd., on the left, on that final street onto which all traffic must turn left or crash through the barriers onto Walking Street. It opens at 7 a.m., and its coffee totally kicks ass. The espresso and capuccino are much, much better than Starbucks' equivalents. It's a Starbucks knockoff (modern design, comfortable furniture) that uses beans grown in Thailand. Very relaxing space. The wifi is not free, but it doesn't cost nearly as much as Starbucks', either.

 

Also, The Coffee Club, a restaurant in the Royal Garden mall, on the first floor and on the Second Rd. side of the mall, also has decent coffee, not to mention decent breakfast fare. Also, its wifi is free. It also opens at 7 a.m. I recommend Wawee Coffee for your first cup of the day, then heading over to Coffee Club for breakfast and a second cup.

.......

Pattaya suffers in only one aspect of tourism. Compared to Bangkok, the food sucks.

For the coffee info...THANKS. Just what I was hoping for....7 AM is perfect for me.

 

Glad you had a good time in Pattaya. What type of food were you looking for that didn't match up to Bangkok? I am just curious. I tend to stick to small mom&pop Thai places, which I find quite good.

 

Thanks again for the coffee info.

[Guest Motel69]

What type of food were you looking for that didn't match up to Bangkok? I am just curious. I tend to stick to small mom&pop Thai places, which I find quite good.

 

Thanks again for the coffee info.

 

The boyfriend and I were really living it up while in Bangkok. We dined at Sra Bua, the celebrity chef-run restaurant at The Kempinski Hotel; Sala Thip, on a bank of the Chao Phrya and behind the Shangri-la; Benjaron, in the Dusit Thani; and at Ruen Urai, in a 100-year-old Lanna-style house on the grounds of the Rose Hotel. Except for Sala Thip, all of these places were superb.

 

Sra Bua is run by an Aussie chef who played around with some Thai classics, kept their deliciousness and made them really fun to eat. When the waiter served each course, he explained how it was meant to be eaten. It was like an adventure in Thai food. I cannot describe just how much fun we had at this place. The restaurant also has a good wine list. We had a nice chardonnay from New Zealand.

 

Benjarong is classic Royal Thai cuisine, always perfect, and the waiters and waitresses always make us feel like kings.

 

And for our money, Ruen Urai is the world's best restaurant. Everything is incredible, even the free dish of cashews they put on the table when you sit down. The nuts are fried with lemongrass, basil leaves and chilli pepper. Great flavor. Truly addicting. Better than sex.

 

Even our non-fine-dining experiences were worth tweeting about. Duke's Express, in one of the Emporium's food courts, serves a mean warm spinach salad. We actually went back a second time it was so good. The mango and sticky rice from a nearby Emporium food court as well as the same dessert at the MBK's 6th-floor food court were also just perfect.

 

In Pattaya, I had a mango and sticky rice at the Royal Garden food court that was much more expensive than the dessert was in Bangkok. The mango was past ripe, and the coconut syrup smelled spoiled.

 

I also had a couple entrees at the Ambiance Hotel's bistro. Too many inedible pieces of lemongrass and leaves in the tom yum.

 

I tried some green curry at a place called Baywatch on Beach Road. Forgettable.

 

I had a meal in an Indian restaurant between Beach Road and the Penthouse hotel. Horrible.

 

I had some great blue-corn chips and guacamole at Sunrise Tacos in Jomtien, but the enchiladas were pretty mediocre.

 

The best meals I had were my bacon, eggs and croissant breakfasts at Coffee Club. But they were just OK.

 

So what spots should've I hit?

[Guest fountainhall]

And for our money, Ruen Urai is the world's best restaurant. Everything is incredible, even the free dish of cashews they put on the table when you sit down. The nuts are fried with lemongrass, basil leaves and chilli pepper. Great flavor. Truly addicting. Better than sex.

The Rose Hotel was the second hotel I stayed in on my many visits to BKK and it was then a dump (1980). When friends suggested we go to Ruen Urai last week, I almost didn't join them as I had never been before and could not imagine it as more than basic Thai cuisine.

 

I was very thankful I did. The food was wonderful, the ambience superb (the upstairs is even more so, but they only open that when the small downstairs eating area is full), the service excellent and the bill very reasonable. I cannot recall what it came to, but for that quality, it was great value.

 

Another couple of restaurants you might consider next time you visit if you plan again to push the boat out. Patara off Soi Thonglor is quite excellent, but best of all, I reckon, is The Blue Elephant on Sathorn (just by Surasak BTS station). The Blue Elephant is located in an old Thai house and has a cooking school attached. It has branches in quite a few cities around the world now. Superb cuisine and service!

[Guest anonone]

OK. I understand how the dining experience in Pattaya did not match up to your Bangkok experiences, It sounds like you had some very good food...the cashews sound awesome.

I do not think there are any restaurants of that caliber in Pattaya or Jomtien.

 

I stick to the more basic food experiences in Pattaya and am rarely disappointed. A favorite of mine is to ask one of the many Thai boys I have befriended at various bars to run out and get me something to eat. I may provide a basic guideline, such as no seafood, or noodles not rice, but leave it at that. I have yet to be disappointed. I take it as a pretty sure bet that these guys know where the good food is to be found.

 

I admit that I am fairly adventurous and this might not work for everyone, but it is a lot of fun for me.

 

Similar experience joining the Thai guys after late night out at one of the street food areas. I will say the alcohol consumption on those nights probably colors my memory of how good the food is. Always seems the best tasting foods is found at 3 AM after a lot of JWB.

[Guest Motel69]

A favorite of mine is to ask one of the many Thai boys I have befriended at various bars to run out and get me something to eat. I may provide a basic guideline, such as no seafood, or noodles not rice, but leave it at that. I have yet to be disappointed. I take it as a pretty sure bet that these guys know where the good food is to be found.

 

Excellent use of resources! I'll have to give it a try.