Londoner

Only a couple of years ago, Ni e Boys would include femme guys amongst its staff. Often, they'd be the only ones actually dancing. And I remember there being twinks (yes, gay ones) three or four years back. Now it seems that all the guys there are of the same type. With Winners offering a very different crew, I suppose it's a case of niche marketing. Is this a good thing? I'm not sure.

I recognise the appeal of Nice Boys- it's certainly vibrant and the gays (not dancers....dancing is a thing of the past) are having a whale of a time. However, the tattoos are a turn-off for me as is the absence of anyone who doesn't appear to be aggressively (in the nicest way) straight. But even more disconcerting was that, on my visit in June, the guys were all transfixed by their mobiles and were watching straight porn. I usually manage to visit Sunee once or twice when I'm in Pattaya and have found Winners more to my taste. I prefer gay dancers...in fact I prefer "dancers" rather than standers.But it is a good thing that punters have a choice in Sunee.

I've had the same experience as Travellerdave . Part of the problem is that many guys use photos taken for Facebook or LINE for their friends; these photos may show them pulling silly faces or acting the fool. And on other occasions, I see photos which are believed by the guy to make them look sexy but appear slightly comical to me. What appeals to me- and what a guy, particularly a newbie thinks will engage my attention- are often very different. For one thing, a warm smile melts my heart while a fierce, provocative stare at the camera does nothing for me.

I was interested by a447a's comment about the guy he fancied "acting femme". My experience is that it is not unusual for otherwise straight-acting guys to behave like this in a bar. Once they have their client, they revert to their more natural style. While on show, they play the perceived role of a gogo dancer, at least in a bar like Hotmail. I suspect that in some of the other bars that cater for muscle-guys, the gay plays it straight.....but of that I have personal experience.

Caveat emptor. Remember that our visitors take chances too. And not just with photos....I must confess to not having changed my profile age for three years! And there are also safety issues for them to consider, particularly visiting homes and apartments. The advice on checking all the photos is good; indeed, I'm suspicious of any profile that only shows one photo. My reaction to the advice to use other sites to back-up hornet et al is that for my age group, the struggle to master even the most straightforward technology is such that the prospect of further adventures into an alien world is unwelcome.

Planet Romeo and hornet will result in many offers....but not many will be from the under 45s.

Yes, there have been losses but the gains are that our commercial transactions are more relaxed and more equal. I feel more comfortable. By the way, returning to the money issue, prices for such encounters have barely risen, at least the ones via the apps.

Correct. The guys were certainly more plentiful- at least twinks were- and my impression is that there were more good-looking ones than now. But perhaps that's my memory playing tricks. No pun intended. In terms of numbers, were the ones from Laos, Cambodia and so on to stay at home, there'd be an obvious shortage. And I don't recall many non-Thais fifteen or twenty years ago. The Thaksin government initiated a lot of reforms and economic improvements in Isaan, resulting in less deprivation. It was then that my boyfriend's village was provided with electricity. He had watched TV by battery previously and done his homework by candle-light.. Secondly, birth-control became easily-available and popular resulting in families which had supported six or seven children in the 80s and 90s were now providing for two or three. This affected the numbers migrating south for work. I'd hazard a guess that this also may be why today's guys are less eager to please; they are not so desperate as their forebears. Returning home without much falang money may not be so devastating as it may have been twenty years ago....and the "home" they return too may be rather better, too.

The problem is the drop in the value of our money, not prices in Thailand. it wasn't long ago that we were getting 73 bht to the pound. If you look at hotel prices, drinks, travel and company and use the exchange rates we had five, ten, fifteen years ago, you'll see this. Two months ago, I paid 80 bht for a Coke in Winners. It was the same as I paid in 1996 in Moonlight and Cockpit. BBB, by the way, charged 100.

No doubt many Britons have been going to Thailand to escape the heat. Now the weather has broken....

Carpe diem.

. If a guy's profile says that he's looking for partners between the ages of 18 and 70 you can be pretty sure he's an MB! In Pattaya, few of those using Romeo or hornet aren't looking for falang money. I prefer Classic Romeo on my lap-top but the new version is better on my tablet....I suspect that it is also better on mobiles. I agree that it offers less guidance when it comes to different physical types.

It's important for us to have regard for the feelings of the Thais we are with; and that includes an "off" as much as a partner. Public displays of affection- involving any sexuality are not readily accepted in Thailand. Come to think of it, I was uncomfortable when I was in a Pattaya host bar and a falang gave his boyfriend a prolonged French kiss I saw the same on Beach Road one Loy Khatong and noticed Thai families (it was a busy night) looking askance and giving the couple a wide birth. I wouldn't consider holding hands with my partner in The Agate; he would be mortified if there were any reaction while I'd be merely angry.

Traveller 123....71 and 35 are our ages too. The prime of life, don't you agree? Sadly, only one of us has kept his looks. Mynakedtop....you need to consider the distance between Baan Souy and restaurants/bars/shops. It is certainly said to be beautiful and up-market....but I don't believe it to be exclusively gay. I've never stayed there so I am ready to be corrected

The Agate was quiet when we were there and we take breakfast early so the opportunities of our coming into contact with unpleasant guests was limited. Only once in Thailand- it was in Chiang Rai many years ago- have we met unwelcoming stares at breakfast. British ones by the way. My Thai boyfriend is as sensitive as me- if not more so- and any such reactions would lead to a cancellation of our bookings.But the staff were ostentatiously friendly and welcoming to a Thai/falang, mixed-age couple. Gay receptionist too.

It is a mistake to assume that all the guys in one establishment behave the same whether it be good or bad. Massage places particularly depend on the competence or otherwise of each individual masseur, there be no entertainment to sweeten the pill of a poor experience.

As a follow -up to my January post about Agate, we stayed there in June and were delighted. So much so that we are booked for both October and January. Better prices are offered by contacting the hotel direct rather than using the agencies. The hotel is unquestionably gay-friendly but mynakedtop is correct in his assertion that we are not a majority there!

I appreciate that there are some who say they prefer straight guys. However, if you are taking one off you must be prepared for an unsatisfactory experience for obvious reasons. Boy69 is spot-on. I'd never consider offing a straight guy. And with so many gay ones available, why take the chance?

No one can be completely safe from all VDs. The most important thing is of course to use condoms for anal sex though I would not participate in oral sex without one. I know this view is not shared by all, but many of us sometimes see small amounts of blood when cleaning our teeth. These indicate the possibility of lesions which themselves suggest that an infection may be transmitted into the blood stream. Thorough washing after sex is obviously helpful.

Me too. "Thailand Fever" by Chris Pirazzi is also worth a look. It is about hetero falang/Thai relationships but some of it- particularly the section about relationships with a partner's family- is useful. It also has Thai translations side-by -side with the text that may help discussions with a partner.

The problems arise when unreasonable expectations are aroused. Some falangs and some Thais-particularly those new to the scene- expect too much from a commercial assignations. It's best to be honest.

Are you referring to encounters in the sauna or to LTRs and Wills? Or perhaps to the Thais say they who only have sex with falangs?

I've been in such a relationship for fifteen years and have no illusions but I learnt a lesson a few years ago when a Pattaya ex-pat, whom I'd known for many years, died. I had regarded his long-term partner as a gold-digger....straight, mercenary, too fond of the whiskey and not even honest. I believed him to be waiting for my friend's demise in the knowledge that he was the sole recipient of the Will. But then it became apparent that there was no money left; it had been spent on medical treatment fees (and much else) after the medical insurance ran-out. The last few months were spent in a public ward in a Pattaya hospital; the partner stayed loyal, right to the end.

That's true....and the older they are, the sooner they'll reap the rewards of the partner's Will. Nevertheless, this does not pertain to what we experience in saunas; that's fun and fun alone. There are a number of mbs I've met over the years, by the way, who insist that they've never had sex with a Thai but identify (and perform) as gay.

Do you think he'd enjoy a couple of hours in Babylon? with other Thais of his age perhaps? or with falangs? Why not ask him? On the other hand, I've met young, cute Thai guys there who actually wanted sex with me....to my amazement. There are certainly some-even if they are a minority- who prefer sex with older falangs. It's even happened to me in London saunas. Very, very occasionally, sad to say. But these guys do exist, not just Thai but Asians from a number of countries.