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It's always been generally accepted that two types of posts are the most popular and well read: trip reports and venue reports. If this discussion has proven anything it's that the topic of money--and how and why we spend it--is deserving of a place alongside them. In the five days since this thread first appeared, it has attracted over, 2,400 views and 88 replies. It has succeeded in touching a cord that has prompted numerous members to participate. To a man, they all have divergent views, something I don't believe comes as a shock to any of us. Unlike trip reports, which almost always win universal acclaim. discussions about money have almost the opposite effect. No two posters see it precisely the same way. Maybe that's because it's such a deeply personal matter. Some just want to get their rocks off and walk away from the engagement with a quickly fading but pleasant memory. Some prefer to see their time together as an opportunity get to know these young men with hopes of possibly seeing some of them again. This is all to be expected because we're all motivated by different needs and emotions and--like snowflakes--no two are alike. While it's been a motivating discussion, talking about sex and money is akin to talking about religion and politics. No one is going to persuade another to come around to their way of thinking. But it makes for a hell of a ride.

The Wisdom of Solomon could render no more fair levy. However, I have one tiny suggestion: I believe deep kissing should be 999 baht and bar hand job 888 baht. Aside from that it should be posted in bars and clubs throughout the applicable jurisdictions. 😉 Although Jupiter is a celestial destination, it remains accessible only through Soi 4. Consequently it falls within aforementioned jurisdiction. Therefore, above levies apply. There's no need to seek mediation or interpretation from mamasan because the decree rises above their authority in such matters. Mamasans will continue to have authority in more temporal matters (i.e., where you will sit and what waiter gets assigned to your table. Going forward, as the rule decrees, there are no more "regular" rates, only the new "acceptable" rates.

From The Thaiger / Pattaya News Another Indian tourist reported gold necklace stolen in Pattaya In what has become an all-too-familiar story, Pattaya Police announced that an Indian tourist reported that a transgender woman stole his 30,000 baht gold necklace. The theft is the latest in a rash of gold necklace thefts being reported by Indian tourists in Pattaya and occasionally Phuket. The victim this time was a 43 year old Indian man who says he was walking alone late last night on Pattaya Beach when a person that he believed was transgender approached him. While he was enjoying the views of Pattaya Beach at night, at around 11:30 pm a motorbike approached him on a The person he thinks to be transgender was able to snatch an 80-gramme gold necklace right off his neck before speeding away into the night on their motorbike, according to his police report. “I was shocked that it happened to me because the road was very crowded.” This is at least the 10th time that similar thefts of gold necklaces from Indian tourists have been reported in the Pattaya area in recent months. Pattaya Police announced a specialised patrol force in May to combat this particular type of theft, and declared again at the end of last month they would crack down on Indian gold necklace thefts. Police officers did not find any potential suspects or any evidence at the scene of the crime. They vowed to study CCTV camera footage in the area to identify and arrest the perpetrator of the gold necklace theft.

....or are you just glad to see me. From Pattaya News Local rescuers caught a five-meter-long python that crawled into a residential home in Pattaya, startling the house owner. The python was found curling up behind a water tank at a residential home in the Nongprue subdistrict of Banglamung at 10 PM on Friday, July 22nd. The house owner Sukanya Boonla, 34, said that she was so terrified that she could not enter her home. “I found it behind a water tank, it was very big, so I just ran and called for help,” Sukanya told The Pattaya News. The python was found curling up behind a water tank at a residential home in the Nongprue subdistrict of Banglamung at 10 PM on Friday, July 22nd. The house owner Sukanya Boonla, 34, said that she was so terrified that she could not enter her home. “I found it behind a water tank, it was very big, so I just ran and called for help,” Sukanya told The Pattaya News. According to the rescuers, it would be safely released back to nature far away from the residential area in the hope that it would not return.

From Pattaya Mail Hopping into Cambodia for a visa run is back in fashion. The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh can be skipped by using a good agent, several of which are found on Riverside, the tourist district technically known as Sisowath Quay. This avoids having to make a prior appointment at the embassy and risking failure, a far-from-unknown phenomenon it appears. Mr Keo Song, director of LMN Travel and Tours, said, “We can obtain 60 day tourist entry to Thailand promptly and cut down on the waiting period for non-immigrant visas.” It is no secret that the Cambodian immigration authority actually prefers agent usage. For those wanting a longer stay in Cambodia than a month or two, there are now a host of one year permits for retirees, spouses, students, professionals and even a permit for those seeking employment. The 12-months, multiple-entry retiree visa costs around US$300 with no proof of income or cash necessary for those over 55. Nonetheless, long stayers must register online with the Cambodian immigration data base of foreigners resident in the kingdom. A source of excellent advice and insight on Facebook is the Cambodian Visa and Work Permit Group run by volunteers. Prices have risen since the Covid blitz, but you can still get a mug of ice-cold lager for US$1.75. International tourism right now is slow with no Chinese or Indian vacationers and Europeans thin on the ground. The number of expat gathering bars has declined substantially with many, such as the old Foreign Correspondents Club, currently under demolition. A newish survivor is the popular Harry’s (on Riverside) which serves a variety of British and Scandinavian food as well as novel cocktails such as Slippery Nipple, a generous dose of Sambucca and Bailey’s for US$4.50. If you want to meet friendly English-speaking expats, Harry’s is a good choice. Expat bars are in decline here, but Harry’s is a popular gathering ground for expats. About 50 nightclubs are scattered in neighboring streets, not exactly gogo bars but offering up young ladies of the night who won’t hesitate to make an impression on you of one sort or another. The sprinkle of massage parlors proclaim a one hour massage costs US$5, but a closer inspection of the tariff reveals there is an extra US$5 for aircon and a great deal more for special services. The gay bar scene is Spartan by Pattaya standards and some of the choices currently being promoted on social media are locked up or vanished. Phnom Penh is a budding airconditioned skyscraper metropolis with huge Chinese and Japanese investment. The Aeon mal, roughly the size of Pattaya’s Terminal 21 with a huge food court, is a vibrant selling centre of global brands with its own movie theatre. Phnom Penh also hosts the disturbing memories of the Khmer Rouge horror dictatorship in the 1970s. The torture centre of Tuol Sleng with its genocide museum and the pits of the Killing Fields a short drive away are a grim reminder indeed of Cambodia’s awful history. Legal gambling in Phnom Penh is restricted to Nagaworld, a huge entertainment and luxurious hotel complex which likely mirrors what casinos will be like in Thailand once legalized. Oddly, there is a Buddhist temple adjoining the premises. That’s something you’d never see in Pattaya.

From The Nation BMA shows mountains of garbage that was fished out of Bangkok canals on Friday. The operation was conducted after several parts of the capital were inundated on Thursday after overnight rain.

I flew SQ on my last trip using the Frankfurt connection in the A380. Previously I took the non-stop in the A350. Both flights were in business and the only carrier I feel that comes close in service and reliability is ANA. The one thing you want to look out for is the connecting flight from Singapore to BKK. I found that it was less expensive to get the SQ connection and not the Scoot connection.

From South China Morning Post Greater Bay Airlines’ first flight set to take off for Bangkok from Hong Kong on Saturday City's newest airline will begin operations with a twice weekly service to the Thai capital Carrier is hoping to expand to Malaysia, Japan and Korea and eventually China Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines is to launch its first scheduled commercial flight on Saturday, offering a twice weekly service to Bangkok, as it competes for customers with the city's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific. The newcomer will begin service with two commercial flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok, its first and only destination, on Saturday, with the outbound flight leaving for the Thai capital city at 10:30am. The inbound flight is expected to arrive in Hong Kong at 5:10pm on the same day. The airline, which has hoped to exploit an opening left by the closure of regional carrier Cathay Dragon, a subsidiary of the Cathay group, has the financial backing of tycoon Bill Wong Cho-bau, the man behind Shenzhen-based Donghai Airlines. He has pledged to invest HK$2 billion (US$258 million) in the carrier. But the company has faced multiple challenges, from licensing issues to expansion constraints because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bangkok service will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Wednesday flights will depart Hong Kong at 3pm and return at 9:40pm, while Saturday flights will leave at 10:30am and return at 5:10pm. Flight bookings are available via travel agents. Fares for the Greater Bay Airlines' outbound flight on Saturday cost HK$1,363 (US$173.64) from Wing On Travel, one of the few agencies that sold GBA tickets. The price would be slightly cheaper than an afternoon outbound flight from Thai Airways on the same day, which went for HK$1,389. However, the GBA's seats were nearly half the price of Cathay Pacific's only flight to Bangkok on the same day, which stood at HK$2,603. The new airline offered even lower fares for its flights in the coming weeks, the cheapest option stood at HK$957 (US$121.92) for a one-way ticket. A direct flight to Bangkok on August 6 would cost HK$2,206 from Cathay Pacific and HK$1,551 from Thai Airways Greater Bay Airlines' fleet will be made up of three Boeing 737 planes for this year. Both the Saturday Bangkok flights will operate on Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which Wong's other carrier, Donghai Airlines, has also bought.

From The Guardian (Sept. 29, 2019) Thailand PM considers moving capital as Bangkok congestion takes toll Thailand could be the next nation in south-east Asia to relocate its capital after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha hinted such a move could be a “possibility” under his government. Taking inspiration from neighbouring Myanmar and similar plans being formulated in Indonesia, the Thai prime minister suggested that relocating the capital could help Bangkok overcome its mounting urban challenges. Like Jakarta, Bangkok is beset by overcrowding, pollution, rising sea levels and heavy traffic congestion. During an address at the Connecting Thailand with the World Conference on 18 September, the retired army general floated two options for a potential move. “The first is to find a city that’s neither too far nor too expensive to move to,” he said, “The second is to move to outer Bangkok to reduce crowding.” It is not the first time the idea of moving Thailand’s administrative capital has been raised, with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra also suggesting the administrative capital be moved to Nakhon Nayok, a province 100km from the capital. Studies have also been conducted on shifting government offices to Chachoengsao, an agricultural hub to the east of Bangkok. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/30/thailand-pm-considers-moving-capital-as-bangkok-congestion-takes-toll

From Thai PBS World Expert warns Bangkok may face worse flooding September-October In September and October, Bangkok is at risk of flooding which may be worse than that experienced this week, especially Wednesday night, warned Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seree Supratid, a water expert and director of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University. Dr. Seree said that the flooding in Bangkok on Wednesday and Thursday was caused by an unusual amount of rainfall, measured at 160mm in some areas, which is equivalent to the maximum amount in a 10-year cycle, compared to 60mm in a 2-year cycle. He explained that the 160mm of rainfall for a 10-year cycle was the average rainfall calculated from the amount of rain which fell in the past 50 years and 260mm for a 100-year cycle, adding that this kind of excessive rain can occur any time, citing the downpours on Wednesday night. Citing information obtained from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), he said that the water levels in Bangkok’s canals increased by about one metre after about two hours of rainfall on Wednesday night which, he admitted, was unusual, noting that the city administration had already drained water out of the canals to increase capacity to store rain water from road surfaces. He then suggested that the city administration investigate where the problem lies, whether it was the water pumps or the discharge of water into the river, resulting in the heavy flooding. Dr. Seree praised the BMA’s rain forecasting system, but he said the drainage system failed and needs to be fixed before the flooding anticipated in September and October, which may be more serious due to high tides and water runoffs from the northern region during that period.

In Thailand, sometimes you just need someone to grease the wheels.

Although the orgy didn't turn out to be what you originally had in mind, it had a quality about it that seemed to fall somewhere between rodeo and whimsy. I think you still managed to have some fun while making the others happy they met you.

I admire their skill, their courage and their masculinity. MT is as much culture as it is sport in Isan.

From The Thaiger A urological surgeon from Thailand insists there is no hard evidence to suggest a man’s penis will shrink if he gets Covid-19 despite claims to the contrary. Dr Nantawat Siritanan, from Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, located in Khan Na Yao District, Bangkok, told men not to waste time worrying whether their manhood will shrivel if they catch the coronavirus. Nantawat was responding to a claim made yesterday by Pakphum Dejhassadin, a medical technician better known as Mor Lab Panda. Pakphum wrote on Facebook he’s discovered a report stating that men in the US who contracted Covid had noticed their penises had shrunk by one to one-and-a-half inches. He added that coronavirus infection could also cause erectile dysfunction by causing the male sex organ to blood clot, and with a reduced blood flow the penis could fail to reach its fully erect state Nantawat said it was theoretically possible that Covid could cause male sex organ inflammation, resulting in blood clotting. But he added that there were very few of cases throughout the world and there was no hard proof Covid caused a penis to shrink. Nantawat said there are other reasons or causes for a penis to shrink, such as age, obesity, or even Peyronie’s Disease. Peyronie’s disease is a minor injury to the penis. The injury is often caused by vigorous sex, such as bending the penis during penetration or pressure from a partner’s pubic bone, though it can also be caused by sports or other accidents.

Absolutely fascinating post. Had no idea there was a Muay Thai school especially for Brazilian fighters. I watch MT bouts on local TV channel whenever I'm in BKK.

Torrential rains Wednesday evening flooded many parts of Bangkok. By 10:30 p.m., water reached over the sidewalk levels on in Surawong and Silom. From Bangkok Post Sukhumvit Road in Samut Prakan province is flooded after a downpour on Wednesday night. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chaiyutworakan) The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has warned 32 provinces of possible flash flooding and runoff, as heavy rain continues to pound most parts of the country. The department said on its website on Thursday that sudden floods and runoff were possible throughout most of the northern and northeastern regions, which were most at risk. The Meteorological Department's Thursday forecast is for heavy rain until Sunday, including Greater Bangkok. In the capital, rain was likely over 80% of the city until Saturday, with rain easing off from Sunday. Heavy overnight rain caused several areas of Bangkok to be flooded, disrupting traffic during the morning rush hours.

From The Thaiger British Airways isn’t heading back to Bangkok until at least next year. Tour operators were hoping the British flagship carrier would be adding regular flights again between Heathrow and Bangkok in time for Thailand’s high season, just when the winter kicks in in the UK. British Airways was originally set to resume flights in November this year but has now reviewed this decision and made no commitment to restarting services between Heathrow and Suvarnabhumi. BA says that Bangkok, and Thailand, “is not top of BA’s list for resumption, as it is predominantly low-yield tourist traffic”. (Low-yield traffic are passengers who are predominantly chasing the lowest fares and spend the least per seat on an aircraft.) They also cited the “stiff price competition from the Middle East carriers – Qatar, Emirates and Etihad” – who are already flying either daily or multiple fleets per week. But BA is selling Bangkok flights with a OneWorld partner, with connections in Doha using Qatar Airways. “We regularly keep our extensive global network under review, and we’ve taken the decision to extend the suspension of our Bangkok service.” Meanwhile, Thailand will lose another UK connection in August. Budget airline Scoot, which began flying Gatwick-Bangkok-Singapore in March, will suspend services on August 21., But the Singapore-based budget airline says they are planning to return to regular UK – Thailand flights at the end of October. But these flights have not been confirmed at this time and are not currently available for bookings. Only Thai Airways and Taiwan’s EVA Air offering non-stop services between Bangkok and London’s Heathrow.

Today's Bangkok Post carried a long article about Benjakitti Park and other locations around the city where a wide variety of outdoor activities are planned. A forest in the heart of the city It seems like our lives are getting back to normal as Thailand transitioned to a post-pandemic state this month, allowing residents to stop wearing masks outdoors. Tourists are also no longer required to apply for the Thailand Pass and purchase Covid-19 insurance. To get people out of their homes, the Krungthep Klang Plaeng festival has converted a number of residential, recreational and entertainment venues into outdoor cinemas this month. This follows the successful return of Music In The Park after a two-year hiatus. As part of the 12 month, 12 festival project, the project is a collaboration between the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Film Archive Thailand, Thai Film Director Association and Outdoor Cinema Association to support the Thai film industry and boost the local economy. "The project's goal is to provide income for neighbourhood vendors, so each day we'll select two spots among Bangkok's well-known landmarks and open spaces both in the city's core and its outer suburbs. This is a parallel strategy for promoting various locations and giving inspiration for movie locations," said Minrayaporn Somnongkham, secretary of the Thai Film Director Association. https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/2350544/a-forest-in-the-heart-of-the-city

I wholeheartedly agree with these comments. You're treating him as an individual and, as you say, showing him respect. You travel a long way to be with these guys and I'm sure they appreciate the way you take care of them.

Practicing patience is good for you. You pride yourself in having the last word, the final say. And always getting the best price possible out of an off.

You make it abundantly clear that the boy who got his cock sucked for 10 minutes got fair compensation based on the daily minimum wage for a laborer. You can't honestly compare engaging in public sex with everyday labor. It's a ridiculous comparison yet you insist on using it as a logical rationalization. You imply that those who pay above your formula are overpaying. You appear to view the boys who work in bars purely as service providers. You don't appreciate that guys who agree to have sex for money are engaging in something entirely different than everyday labor. They are putting their bodies and the minds at our disposal for our pleasure. And when you refer to his pay as x times the minimum wage you belittle just how much he is actually doing for us. And what he's doing goes far beyond that. Why else would be travel great distances and endure much inconvenience in order to be able to be with that boy, in that bar, at that moment? Forget what others say they pay at this bar or another. Forgo the formulas and "going rates." Treat each guy as the individual he is. Disregard those who complain that "you're ruining it for the rest us" by paying more than the going rates.

I believe you have me confused with someone else. I've never been to Prague, Rio or Barcelona and have no basis or experience to discuss those locations. I have, however, been coming three times a year to Thailand since 2002 (less the covid period when it was closed). Almost all of my time is spent In BKK. You certainly have a good handle on Pattaya and I defer to your familiarity with those bars.

USD 36.71 EUR 37.34 GBP 43.92

For once in this thread I have to agree with z909. He'll troll you to forever if he catches you paying above scale.

You're quite fond of tossing around "prostitution". Is that your way of characterizing the boys so it's easier to think of them in as a commodity? What do you care if they earn 1500 of 15,000. What business is it of yours? You speak of multiples as if you were evaluating a prospective stock buy. Start thinking of them as humans and not numbers to be acquired for the lowest price. You're doing an adequate job of attacking yourself. You don't need my help.