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Reading these last several posts, reminded me of why I never finished my posts about my October visit to Thailand and Laos. So, let me give the condensed version. I'd been in Bangkok then went to Chiang Mai, where I had one great massage at Two Brothers, then flew back to Bangkok for one night before going to Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Inspired by Numazu's scheduling / juggling skills, I'd arranged for an meet up with Vinapu's Screwboy twink for a meet up and dinner, then I planned to try and off someone I saw a Jupiter, and finish up by offing Van at the end of his Freshboys stint. Van and I have been meeting up for a couple of years, so I anticipated he'd jsut do short times (if he was offed) and meet me for an overnight. Well...communications melted down within the first hour back at the hotel. Mr Screwboys, who had been sending me daiy photos of himself and appendage, was a no show, I texted and "Lined", decided to get some dinner and head off for Jupiter, when I started getting Facebook messages from Van. Strange he's a WeChat-er. Needs to see me right away am I back in town yet? (I'd smudged the fact that I'd be back several hours and boys before seeing him). Gave up on Jupiter, tell Van I'm at the Tarntawan. He's there in ten minutes with a high stress level and no ID. His passport and phone have been taken. The Tarntawan security remembers him from the week before and let's him come up to the room and pours out the story of what happened and asking what he should do as without a passport he can't work and can't leave the country without paying extra. At this point, my phone starts exploding with messages from Mr Screwboys, apologizing, he overslept, he is on his way, he will make all right for me. Another charming appendage photo. I say to myself "Self, you have one Vietnamese boy in your room who is distressed and not gong to leave and you;d plan to have him stay the night, so..." I texted Mr. Screwboys to forget it, too late now. This brings in another half dozen messages, no more photos, but lots of crying emoji. Van is so caught up in his own drama that he doesn't notice/ignores all my texting nad the phone ringing and not being answered. So...relationship to this thread is the amorphous Thai sense of time, meeting times, that my over organized personality didn't consider, thus Mr. Screwboys was a loss. Van told me he used a friends phone to FB message me as my WeChat information was on his lost phone and he remembered that I was on FB. Clever/Resourceful. I explained to him how to go to his embassy and get an emergency passport, this did not register with him. Nor, did the need to go to the police and report the loss. Just a lot of panic in his face. He stayed with me, which confused the morning security guard as there was no passport to return. I gave more advice and doubled my usual overnight compensation - which would give him enough THB to pay the embassy. I left for six days, excellent days and nights in Luang Prabang - just sightseeing during Buddhist new year. To tie up the loose ends...Van was waiting for my return to Bangkok, he now had a phone but had done nothing about the embassy. He asked if I'd go with him as he was apprehensive about going to the embassy and that there would be more respect if I was with him (?). Ya from SiamRoads helped to lessen the apprehension as he new Van from a visit we'd made to Pattaya a while back. So, I spent my last full day in Thailand shuttling back and forth to the Vietnamese Embassy, with a stop at the Police Department to make a report (see above), an Embassy return with the Police report, and another embassy stop to pick up the temporary passport. Note - I was not asked for any THB to help with these adventures, other than to pay for the taxi. Van spent the late afternoon and evening in making the day end memorable. This probably didn't belong here...but the posts about contacting boys and follow up reminded me of my this and that I'd never finished my report. I guess I just did.

Thanks for continuing to be the "Michelin" of Massage.

"samoke" is an understood word for oral

I'd enjoy meeting up with you...Alas, my plane arrives on the 19th. Have a most excellent visit and continue to post about your adventures and discoveries.

Vinapu - may 2017 be a sublime year for you (and the others on this forum). I have learned much from your postings, today's being the use of separate pockets as a budgeting tool. I appreciate how you consider the boys/men you off which sets a positive example. I think there must be one more post coming; but, also, think in the style of Numazu, your Mekhin rendezvous report is fine. Happy going forward

Welcome...the more of the postings you read on the forum, the more information you gather, and then interconnections become understandable.

DivineMadman is my Forum expert on massage venues. He gets right to the essentials and provides an excellent point by point summary...e.g. "Hero specializes in..." As far as being in the room expertise: one has to tip his hat (or something else) to Vinapu. LEt DiveMadman and Vinapu be your guides. I do not like the massage places where you are shown a photo. Too often the photo was taken in "better" days.

I'm flying to Bangkok from San Francisco in mid-January. I'm on United with a $649 round trip price. I'm in premium economy as a result of Mileage Plus status so there's no add on charge for that or up to two pieces of luggage. That stated, I check with google.flight about comparative pricing. This trip I didn't cancel the price watch and receive periodic updates and have seen the UA price go as high as $1,800, then drop to $1,200, then up again, then down...comparable flights from SF have remained in the $800 range with out much fluctuation. The United/ANA flight seems to be the quickest. Makes no sense, other than to plan ahead (when possible) and keeping checking fares. I set a price that I'm willing to pay and if I see a fare in that range when I want to travel, I take it. If there are miles for future travel all to the good. Most miles nowadays seem to come from using my credit card(s).

This topic is a tribute to good memories and welcome for that

a447a - which bar was this...sounds like Golden Cock? Also, what a holiday gift this week to the forum: new reports from you and Vinapu!

You've summed up my strategy for surviving into later old age...when I reach the point of not being able to travel, the $$ I save will help stave off the effects of inflation and medical care. Until then, I'll keep investing in the "charms" of Thailand...

It's great to have you back as a narrator of experience. While, your comments to/on posts tend to be spot on, it's your longer form that pulls me along. I suspect that the boys at Tawan have talked among themselves and now have your "off" number and preference requirements on the staff bulletin board as well as their phones.. Then, again, I suspect you know that... The boys at Hotmale had mine and I'll see what the word on the soi is when I visit Screwboys and Freshboys next month. Your silvertube airfare is about what I paid to round trip across the USA last week and just a bit less than my mid-January round trip to Bangkok from San Francisco. Looking forward to your next installment...

As Michael mentions, use Flights.google to compare airfares. It will also send notifications about airfares for a date or date range and price changes. And agree with Firecat69 that Chicago's airports are on the "avoid in winter" list.

I use Trip Advisor and always make sure I read the negative reviews (3 stars and less). I look at the photos from travelers and I look at the location map.

Agree with Firecat69 - always make the reservation for 2. I've been a multiple visit guest at Tarntawan but, after my visit in late October, began casting about for another base camp. Discontent with Tarntawan is related to the shift to group bookings and the reduction of veteran staff. The group booking when I was there was of couples from Malaysia. I wish the hotel success...it deserves to survive. Returning in mid January, the Raya but it was sold out initially for the dates I wanted. Ya from Siamroads recommended Le Siam (formerly Swiss Lodge) as an alternative - which I booked. No information on joiners fee there. A few hours ago, checking back on Agoda, I found that the Raya had a mini-suite available for my dates. Pricing was the same or less than Tarntwan or my AirBNB possibility, so I booked it and cancelled Le Siam. So, I'll report back on the Raya, which Vinapu has used to set records of offs. Learning, when something is sold out...check back.

When I started checking forums, it was Sawadtee that I went to first...maybe because bangkokbois" was so readable, somehow, maybe it was Christian PFC's list of blogs that introduced gaythailand and gaybutton. Now, this forum is my main check point, DThump gives a good approximation of why in his post above. I'd add that sniping and trolling turn me off. I'm currently testing a theory that this forum is more lively at certain times of the year, don't know is that's going to prove to be accurate...but as Bangkok enters high season it will be interesting (to me) to see if reports and observations and questions pick up. I get off board information connecting to other members by PM. Finally, I wanted to check out some hotel options in Pattaya and Bangkok (now that Tarntawan has gone down (lots of tour groups)...the forum search function was a super help.

One (that's me) hopes that you left the plane in Thailand and there will be reports forthcoming...

Jhoony Great, succinct reports. Vinapu "Holiday millionaire"! Love the terminology. Fresh Boys seems to have welcomed many of the Vietnamese who were let go from Hotmale...I had two offs from there in late October. Paulsf is the expert in this part of the soi and has good knowledge of Fresh Boys because it is across from his home away from home. I recall that Numazu was about to off someone from Fresh Boys but BurBoy was close by. I'll do a check in next January when I'm back.

I don't think anyone cares other than to make conversation...I often stop on the way in another country, so have the option of mentioning that. And, I like to take side trips out of Bangkok...so another option...again if someone is actually interested.

Spoon - how do you describe an "expat outfit"? I need to know to update my wardrobe (or trash it completely)

Numazu - I'm in recovery mode. A post Thanksgiving and post your reports recovery. I'm grateful for experiencing both. I just booked a January trip that will take me to Pattaya, then Siem Reap, before finishing up in Bangkok. I added the Siem Reap stop after reading your report and I hope the Thai Tourist Board gives you credit. Thanks, too, for the updates on CB, DTG, and BurBoy. Your prose made them come to life for your readers (o.k., at least for me).

Really charming and also detailed report. Thanks.

Thank you.

I avoid being in photos but am not 100% successful. Where not successful, I do succeed in having the photos be sedately clothed. As to the boys' photos, my only observation to add to the discussion is the number of photos sent by boys I've met and the level of sexting.

Thanks for these postings, I'll be in Pattaya in January and am using the commentary and the subsequent comments to work out a plan (which I will then immediately discard once I meet up with my first off)!