Londoner

Does anyone own a copy of "Thai for Gay Tourists?" it is full of colloquial expressions that may be helpful (or embarrassing) in our encounters. It must have been about fifteen years ago that I bought mine but, as usual, P objected to my using any of the idiomatic phrases. He hates it when I try to speak Thai and so I've learnt to keep quiet. Others may be more successful. Thai for Gay Tourists by S. Pakdeesiam

i tried that and on both occasions the guy didn't turn-up....and I lost heart. No mobiles in those days, by the way. And from then on, it was case of "a bird in the hand is worth two in a bush." I hope our US cousins use that old proverb.

How are places like Soi Cowboy and Pattaya's Soi 6 coping with the drop in tourists? They seem to be open in the afternoons, of course....does that help? I've always felt that one of the advantages the apps have over gay go go bars is that company is available 24/7. I used to hate waiting until 2100 to begin my adventures.

I suspect that in a media-world of dumbing-down, ignorance (or "freshness") is preferred. The cult of the amateur rather than that of the expert. The transformation of BBC Radio 3 in recent years is an example. On the other hand, it may be just me getting old.

Thanks for the warning. I wasn't very hopeful of seeing anything to interest me!

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002jwhg/thailand-the-dark-side-of-paradise Anyone seen it yet?

Like PeterRS, I am years out of date- twenty to be precise- but I can confirm that a dancer who didn't make enough money could lose his job. There was one at Throb, whom P knew, who was relegated from performing on stage to looking after the toilets because he didn't achieve the requisite number of customers! in those days, it was not unusual to feel the hands of a guy gently massaging your back while you were trying to pee at a bar. Yes, trying to in my case; it would always stop me performing! I assume there were possibilities for tips. I recall P being sorry for this guy and giving him some money. In those days, the management in the bars was harsh. A guy I had offed at Funnyboys was sacked after taking too long a holiday back home. I met him again at Dreamboys. Then there was a mamasan in Phuket who was alleged to impose discipline with the use of a schoolteacher's cane. Come to think of it, bearing in mind "la vice anglaise......"

Me too. The first time was in a gogo bar in Phuket...I forget the name. That was in 1996, my first trip there. I can't pretend that the custom was still common when I retired from the scene twenty years ago, at least I don't recall it occurring more than a couple of times in Pattaya. From what I've read on this site, the guys would expect 1000 bht notes now! Back in the day, many of them were often not far from the breadline and so a a few hundred baht would have been very welcome.

Not more roadworks! Where does the baht bus actually go on its way to Jomtien?

When I'm being driven through South Pattaya, I cannot help thinking of all those poor women back home in India looking after the children. The only time I've seen one was in T21. With her kids. Now, when it comes to the men, I'm absolutely certain I've never seen one on his own, and rarely in a duo.

Learn from my experiences as previously described.

I agree about the Golden Tiger Temple but there are other non-ocean trips worth seeing within easy-driving distance including some allegedly healthy hot springs.. As far as the islands are concerned, vinapu is correct; they are certainly over-crowded and, as we found one rainy season, inaccessible if the weather isn't perfect.

We went to Krabi on number of occasions pre-Covid. And we loved it. However, a standing -joke between us (one which only Britons will understand) is that we were "the only gays in the village." However, on the final occasion, we did see one couple similar to us in Aonang. There was no sign of any gay bars though we weren't looking for any. I think there was a soi with lady-bars near the beach. The boat trips were fun- the usual island ones, but very unusually, for Thailand, we didn't feel as comfortable as we usually do. Not Thais, I hasten to add, but some falang passengers. However the hotels we tried- Golden Beach and Aonang Villas (cheap off-season prices at the latter facilitated this) made us the very welcome. If you make your own amusement, I recommend Krabi. But not, by the way, in the rainy season.

One of the things I discovered thirty years ago in my first visit was that performance trumps looks and that older guys are more likely to know their arts and crafts than younger ones.

Agate's rooms are much cheaper if you book direct and the management of the hotel very efficient.