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The guys I’ve met in bars, clubs and massage shops never came across as victims of arrested development. Regardless of whether they’re fromThailand or the surrounding countries, they’ve managed to make the best of whatever education they had. More so, they show themselves frequently to be very quick studies. You have to have initiative and some strong resolve to leave your family behind and strike out on your own in the big city. No, not all fare well but that’s no different wherever in the world you come from. I’ve come to respect a lot of these guys. i don’t shop on line but I suspect there’s little difference.

Thai has long history of poor fleet management. The following article describes the purchase of 10 A340 aircraft, which has caused most carriers to abandon it because it was so unprofitable to operate. Thai tried a few times to solicit bids on their grounded ones but rejected all offers because they were insulted by the lowball responses. Wouldn’t be shocked if some—if not all—still sit idle at Don Muang. Unsurprisingly, corruption was suspected in the original purchase and an investigation was called for. Haven’t a clue as to if one was ever conducted. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30305056

From Khaosod English (3 Mar.) BANGKOK — An independent drama exploring a tragic love story of two men through the lens of Buddhism brought the most awards home from the biggest annual film awards ceremony. “Malila: The Farewell Flower,” which came into the night with a dozen nominations, took away seven Golden Swans including Best Picture, Best Director on Saturday night at the 28th Thailand National Film Association Awards Ceremony. The film was directed by rising transgender director Anucha Boonyawatana. She was also named best director for the film at the Singapore International Film Festival and India’s International Film Festival Kerala in 2017. Continues with video http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2019/03/03/indie-lgbt-film-cleans-house-at-suphannahong-awards/

A dissatisfied workforce responsible for making iPhones may portend quality control problems ahead for Apple. South China Morning Post (3 Mar.) Foxconn, a tale of slashed salaries, disappearing benefits and mass resignations as iPhone orders dry up Workers line up on a daily basis to leave the world’s largest iPhone assembly plant in China’s Henan province as overtime opportunities plunged Apple CEO Tim Cook announced in January a 5 per cent fall in fourth quarter revenue, attributed in large part to weaker demand for new iPhones in China It issued a normal Saturday in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province. The sky over the Foxconn factory complex is obscured with a choking smog. Under the hazy sunset, hordes of workers have started to walk out of the production facility. The crowd thins out quickly. But working conditions inside the world’s largest iPhone assembly plant are not normal, as weaker demand for the mobile phones assembled inside the vast 1.4 million square metre (15 million square feet) facility has led to lower salaries and reduced benefits from Apple’s largest supplier. The shuttle bus service to the workers’ gloomy dormitory compound has been cancelled, forcing some to walk for up to 40 minutes to get to their rooms. The cancellation of the shuttle service is routine during the Lunar New Year holiday, but normally it resumes when production picked up again. But not this year, as the service was cancelled earlier this month, long before The cancellation of the shuttle service is routine during the Lunar New Year holiday, but normally it resumes when production picked up again. But not this year, as the service was cancelled earlier this month, long before. Continues with photo and video https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/2188162/foxconn-tale-slashed-salaries-disappearing-benefits-and-mass

Only if you’re trying to reserve a specific guy.. Otherwise it seems to operate on a rotational basis.

I began posting about Nakarat sometime in late 2017, I believe. And today I’m posting about my experience there this week. For those new to the shop, it’s easy to find at the entrance to silom soi 4. The shop itself is on third floor above restaurant but you’ll find most of the guys (many from VN) on Silom and perhaps a few more around the corner on 4. The rooms are adequate with tables but only one has and en-suite shower. There are two small showers down the hall with soap, shampoo and hw. There are some separate, very cramped rooms for Thai massage with mats on floor (these are not well suited for anything else). One hour oil is 450, 90 min. 600. Most guys will begin by automatically asking 2k. I counter with 1.3 (this is what I usually pay in Silom for one hour). I did so again this time and it was agreed to. When he leaned in against my hand, the massage took the usual course to a satisfactory conclusion for both parties. Have lost count of how many times I’ve used Nakarat but I’m sure it’s in double figures. I appreciate the selection and convenience of the location. There’s been, I estimate, a 20-25% turnover since my last visit.

Visited this shop a few days ago and found that it matched DM’s description in all respects. There were three guy-next-door types sitting on a bench when I arrived about 5. All smiled and one stood to greet me and led me down sub-soi to shop. Chose one hour oil (450) and taken to room on first floor with table. It was clean as was the shower down the hall which had ample soap and hw. All facilities appear to be on first floor. Soft mood music in background. My guy (mid-20’s from Isan) had a little English and asked usual questions. His technique was smooth with moderate pressure. He respected my request for nit noy oil. When I began to notice his growing interest in the proceedings, we reversed roles and I became the masseur. (Vinapu, I believe, is one of the few other members who fully appreciates this maneuver). I offered 1200 and it was gladly accepted. When I left about 6, there were 2 new faces on the bench, either of whom would give me cause to return. This is a neighborhood shop located in an accessible (to Silom) area were westerners are not uncommon. I spotted a handful of other massage shops on both sides of street (including a branch of Art Massage so we’ll represented on Surawong). A tip of the cap to DM for taking the effort to bring this to our arrention.

From CNBC (27 Feb.) You can't overfly China, so you have to overfly Pakistan and India and go to Southeast Asia and Australia. Most of the traffic destined for Bangkok and Singapore will have to fly over Iran and then possibly take a detour," he said. https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/02/27/reuters-america-update-3-commercial-flights-to-and-from-pakistan-india-disrupted-as-tensions-rise.html

But once the debit card is used, the cash is instantly gone from your account. With a regular credit card (those issued by US banks anyway) you have significantly enhanced fraud and other protections than debit cards afford. And most credit cards allow accumulation of points or cash-back option.

Shonen, all of us here are at that age where stuff just seems to happen. Thanks for sharing your experience and I, like the rest, wish you Godspeed to recovery. It is tempting to seek something that that promises to turn back the clock and give us our youthful vitality back. And maybe there are potions out there that have succeeded for some. But the harsh reality rarely supports the search for short cuts. Human growth hormones and testosterone have been billed as magic bullets, but these bullets can carry serious side effects as others have mentioned above. By all means, seek out a doctor with expertise in the matter and ask many questions. And be careful of your dug source if you decide this is the right course for you. I did have my levels checked and were told that they were within normal range. However I was still tempted to experiment only to decide against it. As much as I’d love to be able to splash the backboard again, those days are buried somewhere in the rear view mirror, although happily I might add. The guys we meet prove themselves wonderfully understanding in this regard Would like to thank the OP for starting this thread. It’s been and education. Btw, if you’re among the lucky ones who have discovered some form of that elusive fountain of youth, I am in envy.

For those who’ve walked the streets of Hanoi and been intrigued by its history, this CNN summit set up piece may enlighten and entertain. Features interactive split screen scenes of popular sites from early 90’s to the present. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/26/photos/hanoi-summit-changes-intl/index.html

No. They stopped to let the horses use the toilet every few hours.

Was invited to visit a regular’s room in Bangkok. It was the typical cube with petitioned off toilet area. It lacked a window (as do some of the newer rooms at Raya, btw) but had a ventilation duct connection. Although it initially struck me, a westerner, on the austere side, he was happy with it. None of his walls were exposed to the sun so it didn’t get as hot as the rooms with exterior walls. And he said it was relatively quiet for the same reason. He was sharing it with one other guy along with the 3,000 bht monthly rent (plus electric and water fees).

I don’t believe DivineMadman intended this to be a list of the best gay male-to-male shops in Bangkok. Instead it’s just what the title implies: information about a bunch of massage shops. And he took the effort to arrange it in logical order. And it’s just that. He relates his experiences and encourages others to do the same. Information helps us pick and choose but isn’t a substitute for actually going out there and trying it ourselves. Since every massage experience is a unique activity between the parties involved, variation in outcomes is inevitable. But if we dither and fret over every decision, we begin to preclude spontaneity. What distinguishes this thread is that it’s started by an established member who has proven experience in the subject. This, to me, is much more valueable than information gleaned from annonymous sources on commercial sites. I simply wouldn’t trust the latter.

Over the 16+ years now of bkk visits, have stayed at hotels, condos, serviced apartments from both ends of the spectrum and everything in between. Never had a guy complain about the low end places and had some rave about the high end spots. The latter prompted some to linger longer (a few even asked to stay the night with no request to up fee). As I got closer to retirement, the Dusit Thani became my splurge and always tried to fit in a few days there per trip. I sorely miss it as do some regulars. For a newbie or a veteran, it’s tough to go wrong with Raya. Big, comfortable bed, good WiFi, plentiful breakfast and as others have noted, no problem whatsoever with guests. Not to mention the location. Thankfully the offerings in Silom area are many and varied to meet all tastes and budgets. Just enjoy the hell out of your time there. You earned it.

Impossible! TIT.....lol

Actually, I like--hope--to believe that we'll see a reversal in the baht's strength later this year. Consider this excerpt from the article above: Despite leaving rates unchanged at 1.75% at the latest meeting, two policy members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted for a 25 basis point increase, signaling a future rate hike remains a possibility, and further bolstering the relative attractiveness of the baht.  It disregards the fact that Thailand's economy is primarily based on what it exports. Raise the value of the baht by hiking rates, you inevitability hurt exports because other countries will be able to offer goods at lower prices. A glance at the 10-year EURO vs THB chart suggests that we're nearing the top of the baht's strength range over the previous decade.

From Bangkok Post (17 Feb.) GDP data, smooth election could fuel baht rally The baht is looking to repeat its performance as one of Asia’s best currencies last year. Monday’s growth data will shed light on a key pillar of its recent strength and may help it stay in pole position at least through the first quarter. After being beaten by only the yen in 2018, the Thai currency has outshone all its regional peers so far in 2019, rising by 4% against the dollar. A robust domestic economy has helped it outperform both the won and Taiwanese dollar, which also have the benefit of a current-account surplus. “The baht’s outperformance is attributable to the real strength of the nation’s fundamentals, including the current-account surplus,” said Hironori Sannami, an emerging-market currency trader at Mizuho Bank in Tokyo. “That also includes the fact that it is less susceptible to the US-China trade war relative to other surplus economies like South Korea and Taiwan.” Thailand is also less vulnerable to a downturn in the technology sector unlike South Korea and Taiwan, increasing the attractiveness of the baht, the analyst added. The tourism sector, by one measure worth about a fifth of the economy, is also recovering, noted Frances Cheung, head of Asia macro strategy at Westpac Banking Corp in Singapore. Data due Monday is expected to show the economy grew 3.6% on an annual basis in the fourth quarter, its 12th consecutive quarter of above 3% growth. The Bank of Thailand said in its Feb 6 policy statement that the economy should continue gaining traction even though external demand might slow. In fact, the health of the economy was one reason the Bank of Thailand has kept a hawkish tone, unlike many of its increasingly dovish global peers. Despite leaving rates unchanged at 1.75% at the latest meeting, two policy members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted for a 25 basis point increase, signaling a future rate hike remains a possibility, and further bolstering the relative attractiveness of the baht. Continues at https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/finance/1630510/gdp-data-smooth-election-could-fuel-baht-rally --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cross rates from XE currency (17 Feb.)

From NPR - US (16 Feb.) NPR's Scott Simon speaks with author Pitchaya Sudbanthad about his novel Bangkok Wakes to Rain. The book threads the history of Thailand with the modern world. Listen to the interview: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/16/695420288/pitchaya-sudbanthad-on-bangkok-wakes-to-rain

From Bangkok Post (15 Feb.) Vietnamese airlines get access to US for first time WASHINGTON: Vietnamese airlines will be able to fly to the United States and codeshare with American carriers after the US Federal Aviation Administration declared the country complies with international safety standards. The US aviation safety agency said in a statement late on Thursday that it was awarding Vietnam a “Category 1” rating, two weeks after Reuters reported the decision was expected. “It’s recognition by a very developed aviation authority which requires a very high standard of safety and security,” Vietnamese Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong told Reuters on Friday. There are currently no non-stop flights between Vietnam and the United States, despite a large market catering to tourism and visits by friends and relatives. Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways and VietJet Aviation desire to fly to the United States. Bamboo Airways chairman Trinh Van Quyet said Bamboo was considering destinations such as Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with the first route to open in late 2020 or early 2021. His airline has ordered 20 Boeing Co 787s for long-haul flights. Capa Centre for Aviation chief analyst Brendan Sobie said the FAA rating was important for Vietnam symbolically and politically. But he said Vietnamese airlines could struggle to make US flights profitable because of the lack of demand from high-paying business travellers. “For Vietnam Airlines, launching routes to the US is our political responsibility as a national airline. Whether or not the route is commercially feasible depends quite a lot on technical issues and aircraft,” the airline said in a statement. Vietnam Airlines said it was in talks with Airbus and Boeing about potential jet purchases for the US route, but the earliest they were expected to arrive was in 2022. In the meantime its existing codeshares with Delta Air Lines could be expanded after the rating. Budget carrier VietJet said it plans to purchase wide-body jets capable of non-stop US flights and believes its experience in keeping costs down will give it an effective business model. “We plan to open routes to cities with Vietnamese communities living in the United States such as in California, serving the large travelling and commercial demand from customers,” VietJet’s vice president To Viet Thang said in a statement. The FAA last year sent a team to Vietnam to conduct a safety assessment. Vietnam’s rapidly growing aviation market saw traffic increase 16% on average each year from 2010 to 2017, government data shows. https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transport/1629850/vietnamese-airlines-finally-get-access-to-us

With all the gloom and doom news about impending bar closings, it's heartening to read about additions to the massage scene. Capitalism defies the headlines of the moment and that can only bode well for Thailand. I sort of like walls that fall short of the ceiling. I find the sounds from adjacent rooms satisfy the aural voyeur in me.

From CNBC (14 Feb.) Airbus set to scrap production of the world's largest airliner In a statement published on Thursday, Airbus said the last A380 will be delivered in 2021. The decision comes after Emirates — the world's largest A380 customer — decided to cut back its orders of the iconic aircraft and order a total of 70 of the smaller A350 and A330neo models instead. Emirates Airline said it would continue to use Airbus' flagship aircraft well into the 2030s. Europe's Airbus announced plans to scrap production of the world's largest airliner on Thursday, abandoning its A380 superjumbo program in favor of smaller, more nimble jets. In a statement published on Thursday, Airbus said the last A380 will be delivered in 2021. The decision comes after Emirates — the largest A380 customer — decided to cut back its orders of the iconic aircraft and order a total of 70 of the smaller A350 and A330neo models instead. "As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years. This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021," Airbus CEO Tom Enders said in a statement on Thursday. "The consequences of this decision are largely embedded in our 2018 full year results," Enders said. Airbus said it would start discussions with unions in the coming weeks regarding the 3,000 to 3,500 jobs potentially affected by the news. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/a380-airbus-set-to-scrap-production-of-the-worlds-largest-airliner.html

The period following Chinese New Year usually sees a temporary dip in tourism.

From Khaosod English (13 Feb.) BANGKOK — CentralWorld. Central Chidlom. Gaysorn Village. In case it lacked shopping opportunities, Ratchadamri Road is adding another mall tomorrow. After several months of delay, The Market Bangkok has set its official opening for Thursday, which just happens to be Valentine’s Day. Owned by The Platinum Group, the six-story, mixed-use project sits on 21 rai and cost 9 billion baht to build. It includes two Marriott-owned hotels – Fairfield and Moxy Hotel Bangkok Ratchaprasong. The Market Bangkok shopping mall features more than 1,200 shops selling food, drinks, clothing and more. It sells itself as “Bangkok New Dream.” The Market Bangkok is located on Ratchadamri Road next to Big C Ratchadamri. It can be reached via skywalk from BTS Chit Lom. Continues at http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2019/02/13/ratchaprasongs-newest-mall-the-market-opens-on-v-day/

From Coconuts Bangkok The 400 meter long fountain is the longest in Southeast Asia. It’s situated on ICONSIAM’s River Park, which is comprised of 10,000 sqm of scenic park area on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Continues with photos https://coconuts.co/bangkok/lifestyle/longest-fountain-southeast-asia-just-unveiled-iconsiam-splendid/