ggobkk

Observation...if BiggusDikkus was paying 2000 THB for an off two decades ago...given inflation, currency fluctuations, etc...today’s prices are a bargain.

I remember Galaxy Boys...a few years before OP...it was my first Thai off experience. I believe I did everything wrong and it still turned out all right. Galaxy Boys also had rooms on the premises.

Reporting from the Tarntawan...arrived yesterday, little has changed...though there are numbers stuck on the chairs in the lobby dining area. The mantra is that all the changes will be done within two months! I had to check but this is Thailand...I haven’t seen the manager but if I do I’ll ask some questions about the scale of the changes and if the type of clients they hope to attract. As to pricing comps, I stayed last November at the Bandara Suites which is closer to Babylon and Prince. Pricing was similar to Tarntawan and The Raya...it has two pools and a decent hotel gym.

I’d enjoy knowing more about your first trip AND your current trip...

I plead jet lag and not divine intervention..."god is good" is what I'd intended... So I genuflect to sglad for his proofreading skills.

I've meet the Manager who is personable and was frustrated by the infrastructure. forum posters have commented on the air conditioning (cold and very cold) and I've wondered at the biological resource the room carpet provided. It appears that due to the luck of the calendar, I'll be one of the last of the Forum members to stay there as my reservation runs until the 27th. I can only hope that the services are maintained in the last days. I do have good memories of the Tarntawan and its welcoming policies for offs and mostly god memories of the offs. So, I join in Vinapu's hope for discounts and a more functional hotel but with the same "guest" policies.

I received this email Greeting from the Tarntawan Hotel Surawong Bangkok !! We are delighted that you have chosen to stay at Tarntawan Hotel Surawong Bangkok and we trust you are enjoying the hotel’s services and facilities. In this connection, we would like to advise you that, after delivering gracious service and memorable experiences for the past several years, we have decided that it is time for an extensive renovation and revitalization of this iconic property. As such, the hotel will temporarily close for business at the end of May 2019 to carry out the necessary work until 15 July 2019, when it will be reopened under the “imm Hotel Brand” with a new name: “imm Hotel Surawong”. We are very grateful for the many years of support all our esteemed guests have given us. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your kind understanding and cooperation and we trust we will meet again as we embark on the next chapter of this remarkable story. Please follow the project’s progress at www.immhotelsurawong.com and https://www.imperialhotels.com For any other queries or concerns, please feel able to reach out to me directly at below shown number.

Actually, this is a preliminary notice prior to a report. I leave tomorrow for a 2 weeks in Thailand, I'll stop in Hong Kong on Friday and get to Swampy mid-day Saturday. I'll be in Bangkok for 8 days and then six days in Pattaya, staying in Jomtien. Any forum members who might want to meet up send me a PM. I've been in touch with two members and we have hazy tentative plans about meeting. Today, began with a bit of controlled horror - I woke to a buzzing on my wrist as my watch replayed a text from my bank saying there had been an unauthorized charge. After the call and agreement that I'd not authorized a charge in Cyprus, my card was cancelled with a new one being sent. Pain in the... as this is my principal card for purchases. But there are other cards so I'm substituting. Then I visited the dentist to have repairs made to two teeth. Back at home, a call from my credit union telling me they had a charge from Cyprus! This is the card I use at ATMs when I travel as it has no fees. Ugh...this is not my day and it's only 11am. The credit union is a ten minute walk from where I live and I head there as the notice I'd received was automated, and wanted too too many codes and waiting times on hold to accomplish anything. At the office, the manager said hello and how could he help. I told him, and he helped. In a few minutes, I had a new ATM card and withdrew cash to change at the rail station at BKK. I'm looking forward to a rest from dealing with effects of Cypriots getting my card information and a respite from seeming constant traveling: Mid-April I flew to China, then back to the Bay Area, then on to the UK. From where I returned yesterday to attend two meetings. Tomorrow off to Thailand via HK. I'm looking forward to inspecting and evaluating and enjoying the revitalized entertainment zone(s) and having some massages. Sorry to be missing PaulSF and DivineMadman who have lef to rest up for their next sojourns in Thailand. Not sure if I report from the scene or when I return in June...but I swear to the spirit of Vinapu that I will report. PS: Some good news...United Airlines just called to tell me I'd been upgraded for the flight to Hong Kong.

If this does happen (it is Thailand, after all), I doubt it will be quickly copied by other countries. It's a reasonable idea that will be opposed by pharma and hospital accounting offices.

Great report...looking forward to the updates. LOL about the Freshboys waiters...and glad there are no numbers on the mamasans!

Alex is right..."New Screwboys" dates to 2013 and is the Screwboys we all talk about. Screwboys also has a karaoke further down the soi. I reconfirmed with one of th guys who works there.

When I use Planet Romeo, I look at the activity tag page. I don't use the traveler page as it seems to have algo-limitations. I do use the activity page and what I've noticed is the number of accounts that appear depends on the time of day. I checked last night in preparation for my visit next week and found hundreds of Bangkok active romeos, most with multiple photos.

Cash is king, when I my supply runs out, I use an ATM...the charge is noticeable, but is the same whether I withdraw 1000 baht or 20,000 baht, so I tend to take out what I believe will get me through my visit. Whatever remains, I just take home to bring back on the next trip. Helps to encourage me to return. Recommendation for Super Rich is a good one. I don't know the exchange in the BTS, and have used the one located directly across from where Twilight once was.

I foresee real estate speculation forthcoming on the forum

Thaipuan is out with a new edition...translation: a new map of the Surawong/Silom clubs (well most of them) showing locations. If your're not in a club to pick up a free copy the online version is at thaipuan.com. Site has photos of Moonlight's Babe (in two adverts). The model of the month is exceptional.

God save the Queen!

I’ll join with DivineMadman and Reader...thanks.

Paulfort is asking about the Tawana which is on the LeMeridian side of Surawong

Thanks for the update from an honored source.

His Instagram seems to indicate he's in the navy reserve for his required service. Some of the other photos indicate that he likes a fine life style and no line of work...telltale signs.

In my opinion, you were short changed on time to consider an off at Lucky Boys. Even if the mamasan had transferred the boy to you from another table. The mamasan would not have done that if a commitment had already been made by anyone at the other table. I share Vinapu's option of signaling the boy myself. They have their eyes on the room and will quickly move to your side. Now, my comments are based on multiple experiences up to last November. Things may have changed since then...Moonlight is a bit more restrictive as they have their stars with higher priced options and the other boys off the stageo sit off to the side, At Twilight's HotMale, where I was (am?) friendly with two of the mamasans, I've locked onto a boy who was sitting with someone, the mamasans told me to wait and see if my choice was offed. If he wasn't then he'd be brought over. In Jupiter, I've both signaled a boy from the stage and asked a mamasan to laser light another. In many years of going to the clubs, I've never been given a time limit to decide. Note for historical record - at HotMale once I liked a boy but he was offed by the guy he was with...later, after we'd met, I knew the guy was offed by PaulSF...

In preparing for my upcoming trip, the memories of the last trip, enhance my enjoyment in organizing my planning and remind me to leave plenty of room for serendipity to occur. In about two weeks, I’ll be exploring the new venues and catching up with friends/boys/forum members.

Massage = cultural obligation.

Thanks...happy you’re happy and appreciate allowing our imaginations to continue on. Enjoy the rest of your visit.

Asnstudent - put me in Vinapu’s camp. 1st nights are for exploration and exhilaration. What you spend is up to you and you haven’t expressed any dissatisfaction. Forum members, myself included, find it helpful to know what’s the ‘going rate’ for things and enjoy parsing the pricing. So the back and forth shouldn’t be taken as criticism, but read as a verbalizing of budget making for our next trip. Keep enjoying your time.