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I tabulated my massage tip expenses for first week. Had 11, one-hour sessions in SK and Silom. Here’s how they broke down: 2 x 1,000 = 2,000 7 x 1,300 = 9,100 2 x 1,500 = 3,000 Total 14,300 Average. 1,300 I anticipate an increase in average as I extend some guys to 90-minute sessions.

Sounds like it’s going to included in airfare ancillary items.

TK Massage May be located in a different part of city but it has been mentioned here for its no holds barred videos aimed at tempting customers to go out of their was to pay them a visit. Now it seems that their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed in Saphan Kwai. Several shops have begun posting short videos on their LINE feed, albeit of a more restrained nature. And judging by recent visit to a very popular shop a stone’s toss from the BTS stop, it’s working. When I came downstairs from my last session, a young man lay on the floor in lobby with a towel across his butt and another was massaging him. I didn’t see a camera but there were three other guys nearby with phones in hand so who knows. Perhaps they were instructing a new recruit? Getting your message out is important in any business and massage is no different. 🙂

According to The Thaiger, a young man between 25 and 30 years of age sat on his bicycle and masturbated for two hours before offended residents called police. Personally, think I would have been inclined to give him greater leeway. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/perverted-man-terrifies-locals-by-masturbating-in-public-for-2-hours

From Pattaya News On October 24th, 2024, Thung Maha Mek police officers questioned a taxi driver after an incident involving the stabbing of an Australian tourist in Bangkok’s Sathorn area. The altercation occurred early on October 23rd around 3:39 AM in Narathiwat Soi 9, where police found the 39-year-old Australian man (whose name was withheld by the police) injured with a stab wound to his right abdomen. Rescue teams provided first aid before transporting the victim to Chulalongkorn Hospital. According to preliminary investigations, the tourist had taken a pink taxi, but a dispute arose, leading to an assault with a small cutter knife. A passerby intervened, causing the driver to flee the scene. Upon reviewing CCTV footage, police identified the taxi driver only as Mr. Samorn, 49, who admitted to the attack. He claimed that a conflict between the tourist and another Thai passenger escalated, and after the tourist aggressively exited the vehicle and allegedly hit the taxi, he demanded the transportation fare.

Best time after work and early evening weekdays and mid afternoon onward on weekends.

My stays are long so I have to apply some self discipline when it comes to renumeration. I’ve just about given up bar offs for the pleasures of massage. I have fixed upper limit and I remain within it, regardless of how attractive the masseur. The older I get the more I’ve come to acknowledge that I don’t have to have the most handsome guy with best body. Perfectly satisfied with time-proven guy whose company makes me happy. Perfectly content to leave models to big spenders.

Best consult a Thai lawyer with that one. If it’s a criminal matter, establishing proof beyond reasonable doubt may prove difficult and embarrassing. if it’s a civil matter, the net worth of defendant becomes critical if his worldly possessions are cash in pocket and motor bike.

Spend your cash in a bar or massage shop and it disappears into the currency system. Charge your purchase to a credit or debit card, and transaction is preserved for eternity. Up to you.

+1 I’ve posted about this in the past but it bears repeating. I know many incidents in the standard Silom shops (where there aren’t any minimum tips) where punters will tip zero to 100 baht. Many of the boys will hand it back to them. I know these boys personally and know their service level is high.

From CNBC Major global airlines are reducing services and, in some instances, withdrawing from China altogether as longer routes to Asia following the closure of Russian airspace have raised operational costs, while demand has been low. Virgin Atlantic and Scandinavian Airlines, for instance, are completely withdrawing from China, the companies’ websites show. Virgin Atlantic ceased all flights to Hong Kong — and closed an office there — in 2022, ending the airline’s 30-year presence in the Asian financial hub. A report from travel news site Skift shows that seven major airlines have retreated from the country in the past four months. John Grant, chief analyst at the aviation intelligence company OAG, said the situation is “going to get more pronounced, before it gets any better. Airlines that are pulling back from China Qantas Suspended Sydney-Shanghai flights Virgin Atlantic Ended London-Shanghai flights Lufthansa Non-stop Frankfurt-Beijing flights no longer on flight schedule SAS Scandinavian Suspending Copenhagen-Shanghai flights on Nov. 8 British Airways Pausing London-Beijing flights until at least Nov 2025; reduced Heathrow-Hong Kong services by 50% LOT Polish Suspending Warsaw-Beijing services for the winter Finnair Reducing Helsinki- to-Shanghai flight frequency for the winter Get the dataCreated with Datawrapper British Airlines has steadily downgraded the size of jets it flies into China, said Grant. Routes that were flying Boeing 747 jumbo jets, were replaced by B777s and eventually even smaller B787s, he said. This is another way to scale back capacity, yet it “retains the dot” on an airline route map, said Skift. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU and the United Kingdom, along with other Western nations, imposed a blanket flight ban on Russian aircraft. Russia responded in kind by closing its airspace, forcing many European carriers to fly longer routes to reach Asia. Longer flights require more fuel, which make flights more expensive. Chinese airlines, however, are not subject to Russian airspace prohibitions, so they can fly the same routes into Europe faster and cheaper than their European counterparts. Additionally, “airlines have had to operate with four-man flight crews because of the extended hours when, in some cases, they could have used a two- or three-man crew,” said Grant. “When flight crew are short and hours limited, that’s an expense.” Grant said European carriers have found better uses for aircraft that were deployed to China. For example, when British Airlines dropped its Beijing route, it reallocated the planes to Cape Town, he said. “Load factors” — how full the plane is — jumped from 55% on the Beijing route, to 90% on Cape Town services, he said. In pre-pandemic 2019, China welcomed some 49.1 million travelers, while around 17.25 million foreigners had arrived in China this year as of July, according to the Chinese government.

From The Thaiger Tourists at Pattaya Beach raised alarm bells over the shocking amount of litterstrewn across the holiday resort’s shoreline, sparking questions about where it all came from. Visitors reported seeing a disturbing collection of rubbish both floating in the sea and littering the sands, including cigarette butts, plastic bags, water bottles, foam containers, and Styrofoam boxes. The unsightly mess extends along the entire stretch of Pattaya Beach, with significant piles of cigarette butts accumulating in various spots. Concerned locals are now calling on city officials to investigate the source of the debris, worried that such an eyesore could tarnish Pattaya’s reputation as a premier tourist hotspot. Local media suggest that recent thunderstorms and high winds may have played a role in washing this trash ashore. In response to the mounting complaints from both visitors and residents, Pattaya City officials were spotted cleaning up the beaches today. Another tourist added that litter is keeping tourists away. “I come to Pattaya for its beautiful beaches, but seeing all this trash really ruins the experience.” https://thethaiger.com/news/national/tourists-express-concern-over-trash-littering-pattaya-beach

From Pattaya News Entrepreneurs in the health and Thai massage spa sector, alongside government and private agencies, have launched the NICE 2024 training camp to preserve and promote Thai local massage wisdom on a global scale. The initiative also aims to reaffirm Thai massage’s recognition by UNESCO Ms. Chutima Halk highlighted that the NICE 2024 camp coincides with UNESCO’s certification of Thai massage as an intangible cultural heritage, marking a major milestone for Thailand. The project brings together representatives from various institutions, clubs, health business entrepreneurs, and spa professionals from across the globe to sustain and enhance Thai massage, a blend of science, art, and cultural health care passed down through generations. The camp, running from October 23-27, 2024, includes lectures and training sessions by experts from the Thai Traditional Medicine School, Wat Pho, focusing on renowned Thai massage postures. Successful participants will receive certificates, enhancing their careers in the international massage industry. In addition to the training, the organizers donated to the Sattahip Red Cross, supporting charitable causes. The event aims to blend Thai and international wisdom, coordinating spa business operations worldwide under unified standards. https://thepattayanews.com/2024/10/25/sattahip-holds-thai-massage-camp-project-nice-2024/

From Pattaya Mail Market Strategist at Krungthai GLOBAL MARKETS, Poon Panichpibool, revealed that the Thai baht opened at 33.78 against the US dollar in the morning, October 24, weakening significantly from its close on Tuesday, October 22, at 33.50. He predicts the baht will trade in a range of 33.65-33.90 baht per dollar today. Since Tuesday night, the baht has been depreciating (with a range of 33.47-33.85), breaking the resistance level of 33.65 baht per dollar due to ongoing pressure from the strengthening US dollar. The dollar’s rise is being driven by market players reducing expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and increasing long USD positions to hedge against uncertainty ahead of the US election. Additionally, the depreciation of other major currencies, particularly the Japanese yen (JPY), which weakened past 153 yen per dollar due to widening US-Japan bond yield spreads, has supported the dollar’s strength. The baht is also under pressure from gold buying flows, triggered by a correction in gold prices, which fell more than $40 per ounce overnight. Many market participants, maintaining a positive outlook on gold prices, took the opportunity to buy during the dip. Today’s key focus will be the October Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reports from major economies including the US, Eurozone, UK, and Japan, which will provide insights into economic trends and central bank policies. US jobless claims data will also be closely watched, as it is a key factor in the Fed’s monetary policy decisions. Looking ahead, the baht is expected to continue weakening. The Krungthai team maintains its view from October 2, when they predicted the USD/THB would bottom out around 32 baht per dollar. Since the baht has now breached the resistance level of 33.65, technical analysis suggests it could form a “Cup with Handle” pattern, potentially pushing the baht towards 34.00-34.25 baht per dollar if downward pressures persist, such as further dollar strength and ongoing foreign asset sales in Thailand. https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/thai-baht-facing-pressure-towards-depreciation-34-00-34-25-per-us-dollar-predicted-477286

Not a Twitter member because of Musk but found this location on French site: 24/2, Soi Sukhumvit 23 Khlong Toei Nuea Watthana Sukhumvit, Bangkok, 10110 https://www.xn--thalande-w2a.fr/REVIEWS-happiness-massage-15644-l.html

For one hour massage sessions in shops with minimum tip or no stated minimum, I use 1k as the basic starting point and supplement it upward for very satisfactory service. I use same scale in SK or Silom. I definitely prefer shops with stated minimums because they’ve telling you what is the accepted going rate. its not rocket science.

I was in One Spa this week and manager (male) same as last trip.

From The Nation Thailand’s highly controversial “landing fee” has been renamed “travelling tax” and is expected to come into effect around mid-2025, starting with arrivals by air, the Tourism and Sports Ministry has announced. Minister Sorawong Thienthong said on Wednesday that the new tax will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval within the first quarter of next year. After being approved, it will become effective in six months, or around mid-2025, he said, adding that the tax will be levied on those arriving by air in the first phase. “Kha Yeap Pan Din” (fee for stepping on Thai soil), also known as a “landing fee”, was approved in principle by the Cabinet in February last year. It aims to levy 300 baht ($8.88) on foreigners arriving by air and 150 baht ($4.44) for those arriving by land or sea. The minister said the money earned would be used to buy insurance for foreigners and the remainder added to the tourism development fund. The fund will support the improvement of tourist attractions, including the building of facilities for the disabled and toilets for tourists. Sorawong said the ministry is working on an application to be used to collect the tax, which will be linked to the system of the Krungthai Bank. The current insurance coverage amount will remain the same, which is no more than 60 baht from the 300 baht per person travelling tax. Insurance payout in case of death is set at 1 million baht, and a maximum of 500,000 baht for injuries. This amount is on top of the insurance that foreign tourists buy themselves. The insurance under the new travel tax will cover a stay in Thailand for no more than 30 days, which is applicable to around 87% of foreign arrivals, he said. Sorawong added that after the first phase, the Cabinet may consider adjusting the tax for arrivals via land and sea channels to the same rate as for air travellers to avoid accusations of unequal treatment. He added that the travelling tax will not be levied on cross-border merchants, who will need to show a border pass when crossing to and from neighbouring countries. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/policy/40042628

From Pattaya Mail SONGKHLA, Thailand – Thailand’s national football team, the War Elephants, has won the King’s Cup for the first time in seven years, defeating Syria 2-1 at Tinsulanonda Stadium in Songkhla province. The victory on Monday night (Oct 14) gave Thailand’s 16th win in the tournament’s history and their first triumph outside Bangkok in the four-nation competition. Goals from midfielder Ekanit Panya and Captain Chanathip Songkrasin secured the win, with Chanathip scoring the decisive goal in extra time. The match saw a packed stadium of 24,121 spectators, with fans contributing to the high-energy atmosphere. The Football Association of Thailand (FA Thailand) expressed gratitude to the supporters, crediting them as essential to driving the team’s performance. Thailand, ranked 100th by FIFA, managed to overcome Syria, ranked 92nd, in a closely contested match.

These appear to be two different shops with different photos and videos.

Meet someplace neutral (like Starbucks, they were designed specifically for assignations like this; certainly not for its coffee.

“For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing that they like.” 🙂 Maggie Smith in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Thanks for tips. Haven’t tried them.

I do, also. Phetboy is three minute walk from BTS as are a half dozen or more others. My only venturing to Phoenix was to check it out.

From Pattaya News At 7:30 PM on October 21st, 2024, Bang Rak police, in collaboration with Immigration officers at the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint in Songkhla, arrested an Iranian suspect accused of posing as a police officer and robbing tourists in Bangkok. According to the police, the suspect, publicly identified as Mr. Ghiasi Arefhossein, a 53-year-old Iranian national, was accused of posing as a police officer and robbing tourists in Bangkok. The arrest followed two major incidents of theft on August 17th and 31st, involving a Pakistani and a Myanmar tourist, in the Bangkok area. In the first case, the Pakistani tourist reported that a man, allegedly pretending to be a police officer, stopped him, claimed to search his bag, and afterward the tourist discovered that ten 100 U.S. dollar bills were missing. In the second incident, a Myanmar tourist, along with his sister, was approached by a man also posing as a police officer. The suspect searched their bags and stole 3,150 pound sterling. He allegedly created a distraction by dropping some of the notes on the ground while discreetly pocketing part of the cash before fleeing in a white car waiting nearby. CCTV footage revealed that the same group of suspects committed both crimes, with one individual driving the getaway car and the other executing the thefts, according to the police. https://thepattayanews.com/2024/10/23/iranian-man-arrested-for-posing-as-a-police-officer-and-robbing-tourists-in-bangkok/